Beyonce Lip Syncing OK or Not?

A source very familiar with the situation told the media that Beyonce performed the National Anthem live, but she pre-recorded a track of the song to sing over. The source said this is a standard performing practice. And the musical accompaniment by the Marine Band? A recording.

There has been no comment by Beyonce's publicist.

If it is true that Beyonce did lip-sync at Monday's inauguration, she wouldn't be the first artist to perform that way at a major national event.

For example:

• In 1991, Whitney Houston lip-synced her iconic interpretation of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl.
• Oscar-winner and former "American Idol" contestant Jennifer Hudson lip-synced with the anthem at the Super Bowl in 2009.
• Faith Hill also performed to a backing track for "America The Beautiful" at the same event in 2009.
• At President Obama's first inauguration in 2009, Yo-Yo Ma's performance came into question over "hand syncing." The acclaimed cellist had said the instruments weren't working properly in the very cold weather.

There were even reports that speculated Madonna was lip-syncing during her appearance at the 2012 Super Bowl half-time show. "The only thing Madonna proved during the Super Bowl 46 show is her irrelevance; the halftime show was so obviously lip synced that it was painful," according to SBNation's JP Starkey.

As for Beyonce, a statement released by the Marine Band to CBS News on Tuesday said that "there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event.

Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circomestances. Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

CBS News confirmed that James Taylor, who also performed "America The Beautiful" at President Obama's second inauguration, did not perform to pre-recorded music and that everything was live, according to the artist's representative.

A representative for singer Kelly Clarkson, who had sang "My Country This Of Thee" at also at the inauguration Monday, told The Associated Press, that her performance was live.

Is it OK to lip sync in any setting?  Does this include the SuperBowl or the President's Inauguration?

If the performers are lip syncing why even bother to have them there?  Are they getting paid or doing it out of the kindness of their hearts?

What do you think?