‘One Shining Moment’: Beloved Final Four tradition written in a bar where Larry Bird was playing on TV

Barrett said he recorded a demo of “One Shining Moment” and sent it to a friend at Sports Illustrated who passed it on to CBS.  

A network executive loved the song and called Barrett to ask for his permission to play it after Super Bowl 21 in 1987. 

“I thought it was one of my knucklehead friends. I didn’t believe him,” Barrett said in the USA Today interview.

He agreed, then waited anxiously to hear his song but the game ran long so it  was dropped. 

Barrett was disappointed but CBS contacted him again and asked for clearance to play “One Shining Moment” after the 1987 Final Four championship game.

The montage of March Madness highlights was a hit and it’s been played every year since except 2020 when the tournament was canceled because of COVID. Bored fans created parodies with their own montages and some went viral. Barrett said he got a kick out of it.

In 2021, the NCAA created a special edition of “One Shining Moment” that featured a hit parade of highlights from every tournament.  

Through the years, legendary singers have sung the song, including Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, Jennifer Hudson and Ne-Yo.