The whole marriage-proposal thing was a recurring theme throughout the day.

There were speeches and proclamations and photo-ops, but the fans also got what they really came to hear. They heard Archuleta sing three songs —"Stand by Me," "Imagine" and "Angels."

Some of them may not have been able to hear the songs very well because they were screaming too loudly.

It was the climax of David Archuleta Day (as declared by the governor), a day filled with interviews, visits with family and friends, and two public events (including one earlier at the Gateway) that brought out thousands of fans. A day that concluded when Archuleta sang the national anthem at the Jazz-Lakers game.

The ever-humble Archuleta actually went so far as to apologize for trouble he was having with his voice at the Murray rally, although it wasn't readily evident in his performance.

"I'm sorry, I wish I had more of a voice for you guys," he said. "But I'm giving it the best I can just for you guys."

And, urged by emcee Big Buddha of local Fox station KSTU-Ch. 13 to tell the fans to vote for him, the astonishingly modest 17-year- old couldn't bring himself to do it.

"I just hope you guys enjoy the performances," Archuleta said.

The Big Evening Event took Archuleta to the EnergySolutions Arena to sing the national anthem. Ironically, he said earlier in the day that he'd once auditioned for that gig and the Jazz had rejected him.

Surrounded by security, Jazz personnel and a horde of cameramen, Archuleta gave fans on the front row high-fives before heading over to the scorers' table where he graciously smiled (imagine that) for the flurry of flashes. The smallest guy to perform on the court on this night then drew one of the biggest roars of the night when he was introduced to his hometown crowd.

Archuleta's take on the national anthem, complete with impressive runs that displayed his range, was received about as well as a game-winning shot by Deron Williams. Fans cheered at every pause and went bonkers when he wrapped it up with a big finish and an even bigger smile. Many stayed on their feet, cheering as he was escorted to his lower-bowl seat.

At the Gateway, too, Archuleta faced thousands and thousands of screaming fans.

And the thousands and thousands of fans brought Archuleta to tears. Literally.

The 17-year-old "American Idol" finalist from Murray was clearly overwhelmed by the enormous turnout at the AT&T store at the Gateway. Well, he was at the AT&T store; the crowd stretched the length of the shopping center.