From Ocean City to Fenway: Taylor Pontari’s Journey to the Big Leagues

Taylor Pontari, a 2023 Ocean City High School graduate and junior at West Chester University, is making a name for herself in the world of music. Propelled by her captivating vocal talent and a deep-seated commitment to honoring military veterans, the Ocean City native has already lived out a major dream by singing the national anthem at two of America’s most storied sports venues: Fenway Park and Lincoln Financial Field.

Pontari’s journey began in Ocean City, where she first performed the national anthem at an OCYAA Memorial Day All-Star Game. A memory she describes as the “scariest performance” she’d ever done. Despite her nerves, that early experience “got my foot in the door” and set her on a path that would lead to much larger stages.

Today, Pontari performs regularly across South Jersey with her father, Tony, as the “daddy-daughter duo” Tony and Taylor. They play at venues like The Roost at Harbor Pines, Motts Creek, Renault Winery, and Robert’s Place. Pontari cherishes the experience of playing with her dad, crediting her father, a 25-year musician, with teaching her the do’s and don’ts of musicianship.

A cornerstone of their performances is a heartfelt tribute to veterans, which they tie into a cover of Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried”. Before singing the national anthem, Taylor’s father pauses the music to thank service members and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. This patriotic dedication led to her first major break. While performing at a restaurant in EHT, a man approached her and said he had a connection with the Boston Red Sox and he would get her to sing at Fenway Park. Pontari didn’t believe it until she saw the paperwork eight months later.

On May 17th, she took the field at Fenway Park before a Red Sox and Braves game. With an audience of nearly 30,000 people and coins given to her by her veteran supporters in her pocket, she brought the house down with her rendition of the Anthem. The experience was so emotional that she and the vice president of the Red Sox were both crying afterward. He told her it was “one of the best we’ve ever heard”. Taylor used her performance at Fenway to raise almost $3,000 for the Absecon VFW.

Pontari’s success continued when a woman with ties to the NFL saw her perform at Robert’s Place and invited her to sing at Lincoln Financial Field. As a diehard Eagles fan, singing for her favorite team was a dream come true. On August 16th, she sang the national anthem before an Eagles and Browns preseason game. The experience was “surreal.” She even shared the field with Jalen Hurts during a sound check.

Looking to the future, Pontari plans to continue her education toward a master’s degree in speech pathology and has also started doing some studio work in the Philadelphia area. One day, she hopes to establish a foundation dedicated to continuing to raise funds for veterans. With Taylor’s talent and humility, the sky truly is the limit.