Love Styx......hate the Steelers!!!!..........The multi-platinum rock band Styx -- featuring Tommy Shaw, James "JY" Young, Todd Sucherman, Lawrence Gowan and Ricky Phillips -- will be performing the National Anthem at this Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kickoff time is 4:45pm (ET).Joining the band on the field for the Anthem will be 20 western Pennsylvania soldiers departing for deployment next week.In addition to their Anthem performance on Sunday, STYX will also be performing a special A cappella rendition of their hit song, "Renegade," which has become a battle cry for Steelers fans cheering on the team's defense. The band will be entertaining a capacity crowd of over 65,000 fans just prior to kickoff."We love the way the Steelers use our song 'Renegade,'" says Tommy Shaw. "For one thing, there's nothing like a stadium of football fans singing along to your song. We especially love their video montage of 'Greatest Hits' using 'Renegade' as the music bed as they hammer opposing team members carrying the ball. That's one video I don't mind not appearing in."The band's James "JY" Young states, "Having been a fan of the Steelers ever since the days of Franco Harris, Mean Joe Greene and the Steel Curtain Defense, and counting former 90's era linebacker Kevin Greene as a friend and fan of our music, STYX is proud to have the Steelers continue to use our song to rev up their defense and their fans in attendance at Heinz Field. Having met Jerome Bettis at a charity event a number of years ago in Chicago and then seeing him become MVP of the recent Steeler Super Bowl victory, it just makes it that much sweeter for me and my Styx band mates to know that our song 'Renegade' helped motivate this great NFL franchise to another championship moment.""Music has the power to inspire," adds JY. "The fact that the Steelers continue to find inspiration in a song that Tommy Shaw wrote back in the late 70's is inspiring to me and all the members of STYX."Announced by Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, the game will be nationally televised on CBS and can also be heard on Westwood One Radio stations throughout the country with announcers Ian Eagle, Dennis Green and Hub Arkush at the helm.Shortly after their appearance at the AFC divisional playoff game, the band will be embarking on a national tour that begins on January 22nd in Peoria, Illinois (please see full itinerary below).For more information on this weekend's appearance or the band's activities and forthcoming Summer Tour 2009, please visit their official website at www.styxworld.com.Specific information on the game, itself, can be seen at www.steelers.com.
