Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor are used to performing before thousands, but their audience Monday, on the most national of stages, far exceeded that. The three singers each performed songs that were part of President Barack Obama's second inauguration, and each one of them brought their best for the ceremony.

First up was Taylor, who followed the swearing in of Vice President Joe Biden. As the only musician who was playing his own accompaniment, Taylor was spotted blowing warm air on his hands before strapping on his acoustic guitar for a short, sweet arrangement of "America the Beautiful."

Clarkson was the second singer to perform. She followed the president's inaugural address. You'd think that would be a tough act to follow, but after Clarkson sang "My Country Tis of Thee," even Sen. Charles Schumer (who was leading the cermonies) was moved. He summed it up perfectly and said into the microphone so everyone on the mall could hear, "Wow."

The final vocal performance came from Beyonce. Taking the stage after the benediction from Rev. Luis Leon, Beyonce did her Beyonce thing, belting out a rendition of the national anthem that all future national anthems might just be measured against.

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Win Mcnamee / Getty Images file

President Barack Obama dances with first lady Lady Michelle Obama as Beyonce sings "At Last" during the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on Jan. 20, 2009.

Beyonce will sing the national anthem at President Barack Obama's second inauguration, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced. James Taylor and Kelly Clarkson will also perform at the Jan. 21 event in Washington, D.C. Taylor will sing "America the Beautiful" and Clarkson will perform "My Country Tis of Thee."

This isn't the first time on an inaugural stage for Beyonce and Taylor. Both artists sang at the inaugural concert held at the Lincoln Memorial ahead of Obama's swearing in in 2009. Taylor sang "Shower the People," Beyonce sang "America the Beautiful." Beyonce made another appearance after Obama's swearing in, accompanying the president and first lady for their first dance at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball with the Etta James classic "At Last."

Slideshow: Beyonce

The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Tuesday that the invocation at the inaugruation will be delivered by Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of civil rights icon Medgar Williams.

The PIC also announced that an inaugural poet has been chosen for the swearing-in ceremony: Richard Blanco, the youngest-ever and first Latino poet will recite a poem at the ceremony. Blanco's works explore his family's exile from their native country and "the intersection of his cultural identities as a Cuban-American gay man," the inaugural planners announced. Previous inaugural poets include Maya Angelou (President Bill Clinton, 1993) and Robert Frost (John F. Kennedy, 1961).

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