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Who Could Sing The National Anthem At The Next Preds Game?

Posted at 2:19 PM, May 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-16 18:18:02-04

Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Vince Gill and his daughters, and Lady Antebellum have all sang the National Anthem prior to Predators playoff games during this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Leading into Tuesday night's game, it has everyone wondering, who's next?

The Predators organization itself has been very secretive about who is singing the National Anthem at each game, but that doesn't mean we can't speculate at NewsChannel 5. 

Country Music reporter Jesse Knutson realized that each one of the singers so far has been from the same record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), leading one to think that the next singer may as well be from the powerhouse record label. 

One obvious choice would be Dierks Bentley, also a member of the UMG group and a Predators fan who has been spotted at numerous playoff games.

Bentley said in an interview with K-FROG Radio at Stagecoach two weeks ago that he'd love to sing the National Anthem at a Predators playoff game, recalling that his last National Anthem performance was at a Titans Monday Night Football game. 

Dierks, a co-host of the ACM Awards with Luke Bryan, would no doubt get the crowd going leading into game 3 or game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, and according to his tour schedule on his website, he's free until Friday, making both games possibilities. 

Keith Urban is also one of UMG's biggest acts, and he has been spotted at Predators games in the past with Nicole Kidman, wearing gold and cheering on the team. 

Urban may not have been born in the United States, but he is an American citizen and a Predators fan, making him a great choice for singing the National Anthem.

Urban's second leg of the ripCORD World Tour doesn't start until May 27th, so it's possible he would be free to sing at some point during the Western Conference Finals. 

Other big names on UMG's roster include Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, Shania Twain, George Strait, Darius Rucker, Billy Currington, Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, Josh Turner, The Band Perry, and Brothers Osborne. 

T.J. and John Osborne have tweeted about the Predators throughout the playoffs and Kacey Musgraves has been to games in the past, but many of the other artists on the roster have either shown no interest in hockey, or are from areas other than Nashville and may not have an interest in singing on the ice at a hockey game. 

Looking outside of UMG's roster, there are a number of huge Nashville acts that would have Smashville rockin. 

Probably one of the most recognizable people from Tennessee, Dolly Parton would put the Predators on another level.

Born and raised in East Tennessee, there are few people who love Tennessee and everything about it more than Parton, and very few have had the impact on Nashville that Parton has had.

Parton’s next show is scheduled for Friday at Dollywood, so chances are she’s in Tennessee, and chances are, like almost ever other Tennessean, that she’s been watching and cheering on the Predators.

One that many fans would love would be Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, because when Tim McGraw sings at Predators games, it's usually good news.

Tim McGraw's altered version of "I Like It, I Love It," plays after every Predators goal scored in Bridgestone Arena, bringing the crowd to their feet with smiles on their faces. 

The two together would be a fantastic duo, especially with their Soul2Soul tour underway, but they would have to sing on Tuesday, as they have a show scheduled in Washington State on Thursday. 

Maybe if they showed up to do the National Anthem, McGraw could get up on the stage in between periods and give us his rendition of "I Like It, I Love It." 

Another powerhouse singer that has been spotted in the stands is Kelly Clarkson. 

Clarkson posted a photo with her son on Twitter after watching the Predators sweep the Blackhawks in the first round. 

Clarkson can no doubt sing the National Anthem like no one else, and after committing to being on The Voice next year, Clarkson is probably excited to get out and start singing again. Why not start in Smashville? 

And how about a duet? Reba could get on the ice with her former daughter-in-law Clarkson for an all-star duet. 

Reba wasn't born in Nashville, but she has become synonymous with the city, universally loved by all Country Music fans, and even people who aren't fans, thanks to her TV show and her infectious personality. 

So far we've seen two single artists sing, and three groups. If another group were to sing, Rascal Flatts could be a strong possibility. 

The group is currently in Nashville and doesn't have an out-of-town date until May 27th in New Orleans. 

If you leave the genre of Country Music, two big stars that could take the ice include Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake.

Timberlake recently moved to Williamson County from Memphis, and he is a huge sports fan, supporting the Grizzlies over every other team. Maybe moving to the mid-state has made him a Predators fan?

As for Swift, rumor has it she’s in Nashville working on her next record. She has been very under the radar for most of 2017, but what better time to come into the spotlight than for the Predators and some playoff hockey?

Then of course there is a Nashville favorite, an artist who has likely sang at Bridgestone Arena to sold-out crowds more than any other artist: Dennis K. Morgan. 

Morgan sings the National Anthem at Predators home games throughout the season and is a fan favorite to sing along to. Most of the fans know the way he sings the song, and they appreciate the way he sings both our National Anthem, as well as Canada's National Anthem. 

While there are plenty of artists to speculate about (we haven't even mentioned Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Chris Young, a Murfreesboro native, Kelsea Ballerini, a Knoxville native, Thomas Rhett, and many others), all we can do is wait to see who walks out onto the ice on Tuesday and Thursday night. 

So far, the artists have not disappointed, and we don't anticipate that will change. 

It’s also worth noting that Hunter Hayes, Charles Esten, and Lee Greenwood all played the band stage in between periods at Predators playoff games as well, so there could be more artists invited to play during the game instead of sing the National Anthem before the game.