The Tenors blame 'lone wolf' for changing O Canada lyrics to 'all lives matter' at all-star game

The Tenors say member Remigio Pereira will no longer perform with the Canadian vocal quartet until further notice, blaming him for altering the O Canada lyrics at the MLB all-star game on Tuesday by including the phrase "all lives matter."

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The Tenors, a group based in British Columbia, blamed Pereira for changing the lyrics in the national anthem during their on-field performance at Petco Park while he held up a sign reading "All Lives Matter.

The change happened during the middle portion of the anthem, which is often sung in French at sporting events.

During his solo, Pereira unexpectedly sang: "We're all brothers and sisters. All lives matter to the great."

The normal lyric is "With glowing hearts we see thee rise. The True North strong and free."

Pereira also held up a sign  that said "All Lives Matter," with United We Stand" written on the back.

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The phrase "all lives matter" is widely viewed as a rejection of the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly after the police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. It has been perceived to use reductive reasoning to trivialize the problems specifically facing black people. 

The band later issued a statement blaming "lone wolf" Pereira for the controversy.

"The other members of the group are shocked and embarrassed," the group said on Twitter. "The actions of the one member of this group were extremely selfish and he will not be performing with The Tenors until further notice."

Pereira has defended his actions, which he said were meant to envoke "love, peace and harmony."

"I've been so moved lately by the tragic loss of life and I hoped for a positive statement that would bring us ALL together," he tweeted.

Major League Baseball also had no idea Pereira intended to make a political statement, spokesman Matt Bourne said.

Although the audio wasn't crystal-clear at the park, many fans reacted with surprise.

The Canadian anthem wasn't shown live on U.S. television, but it aired in Canada, where the Tenors' decisions lit up social media with overwhelming criticism of the change.

The Tenors are Clifton Murray, Fraser Walters, Pereira and Victor Micallef. The Juno Award-winning group has recorded multiple platinum albums in Canada.

The change didn't go unnoticed on social media, as tweets quickly poured in acknowledging the alteration.

The political repercussions of The Tenors' decision were also felt, as the change to the lyrics comes following a week of Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of two police shootings that left two black men dead in Baton Rouge and St. Paul, and culminating in Friday's deadly sniper attack on Dallas police officers.

And then came the questions of whether the lyric change even made sense.