Brittney Spencer to Sing National Anthem at the 148th Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky., (May 2, 2022) – Churchill Downs Racetrack today announced that power vocalist Brittney Spencer will sing the national anthem at the 148th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

The announcement comes after Spencer’s first CMT Awards nomination and performance at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards. Spencer’s singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" will be in front of the approximately 160,000 fans expected to be in attendance at this year’s race. The performance will take place just after 5:00 p.m. EDT and be broadcast live as part of NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage.

“We are so excited to have Brittney Spencer help us kick off this year’s Run for the Roses by joining us as the coveted national anthem singer,” said Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “As an incredible rising talent breaking through in country music right now, we cannot wait to amplify her voice on the Kentucky Derby stage and hear her rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner.” 

Brittney is the twelfth major artist to perform the national anthem at the iconic horse race. Past artists who have performed include Tori Kelly (2021), Jennifer Nettles (2019), Pentatonix (2018), Harry Connick, Jr. (2017), Lady A (2016), Josh Groban(2015), Jo Dee Messina (2014), Martina McBride (2013), and Mary J. Blige (2012).

Brittney Spencer is paving her own path in the music industry and making major waves in the process. A People Magazine “Hollywood One to Watch," the Baltimore native is known for her free spirit and standout ability to mold life, truth and wild imagination into songs. Her recent single “Sober & Skinny” has garnered praise from music critics all over and coming up this year she’s opening for Willie Nelson, Megan Thee Stallion, Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, and more.

Additionally, Louisville native and chart-topping rapper, Jack Harlow, has been granted the special honor of commanding the Kentucky Derby jockeys to mount their horses as the announcer for this year’s Riders Up. 

Spencer is managed by Activist Artists Management and represented by United Talent Agency and Shore Fire Media.

About The Kentucky Derby

The $3 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-olds is the longest continually-held major sporting event in the United States and the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown series. Also known as "The Run for the Roses" and "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation. This year, the Kentucky Derby will take place on May 7, 2022. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com.

About Churchill Downs Racetrack

Churchill Downs Racetrack ("CDRT"), the world's most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September, and the Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The saddling paddock and the stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility. www.ChurchillDowns.com.