Country music sensation Kellie Pickler will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies at the 22nd annual Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, July 26, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After first gaining fame as a 19-year-old contestant on the fifth season of “American Idol,” Pickler has gone on to achieve tremendous success as a country music performer, recording artist and songwriter. In 2006, Pickler signed with 19 Recordings/BNA Records and released her debut album, Small Town Girl, which has gone on to sell more than 900,000 copies worldwide and produced three hit singles: “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.” She followed that in 2008 with her self-titled sophomore record, featuring country radio hits “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” “Best Days of Your Life” (co-written with Taylor Swift and her first Top 10) and “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You.” Pickler is also an avid supporter of the U.S. military, having recently completed her eighth USO Tour in December 2014.(IMS)(7-21-2015)
