The inspiration for the NCAA tournament's anthem, 'One Shining Moment,' came from a clumsy pick-up attempt and the dominance of Larry Bird. In 1986, folk singer David Barrett tried to impress a waitress by talking about Bird's greatness, but she walked away. The next morning, inspired by Bird's peak, Barrett wrote the song's lyrics on a napkin in 20 minutes.
Barrett had no idea how popular it would become. CBS began using it for the championship game montage in 1987, making it synonymous with March Madness. The song's path to CBS involved a chance meeting with a Sports Illustrated writer who passed a demo tape to network executives.
Although CBS has used versions by other artists, Barrett's original remains beloved. The song's success opened doors for him to compose for major sporting events. Barrett remains grateful for the unexpected journey of the song born from a moment of inspiration.