INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Trent Harmon To Sing At Richmond International Raceway After Visiting Hometown Fans

By Jennifer Esposito
Published on: 09:38 PST, Apr 21, 2016

American Idol winner Trent Harmon will head to Richmond International Raceway on Sunday, where he will sing the pre-race national anthem for the Toyota Owners 400. Harmon will also headline for the Pre-Race Ceremony, which will include a performance of “God Bless America” by the USAF Heritage of America Band, skydivers, and a six-plane flyover by the Bandit Flight Team, according to Richmond International Raceway’s official website.

Trent Harmon performed at the Auto Club 400 along with his fellow American Idol Top 5 contestants in March. The Mississippi native tweeted his excitement for the chance to perform for NASCAR once again.

“We had the privilege of singing ‘God Bless America’ while filming American Idol. It was an amazing feeling and I am very excited and humbled to get the chance to return to the raceway and sing the National Anthem.”

Just days after being crowned as winner of American Idol: The Farewell Season, Trent Harmon had the honor of singing the national anthem for the Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley III fight. Hours after the finale, Harmon tweeted he would be performing at the event, saying it would be a “bucket list” moment for him.

Trent Harmon has spent the last few days at home in Amory, Mississippi, meeting some of his adoring local fans. On Wednesday, Harmon visited Southern Crossing Outfitters to sign autographs and pose for pictures with supporters.

Trent Harmon will greet more fans at his family’s farm-to-table restaurant, the Longhorn, on Friday. The fifteenth and final American Idol told local news station WTVA how he felt hearing himself on the radio for the very first time.

“You know whenever you hear yourself on the radio it kind of means you have done something worthwhile. You don’t always get that investment back that you put into music. But when I heard myself on the radio I was like it’s worth it.”

Just as Scott Borchetta promised, Trent Harmon’s first single, “Falling,” hit country radio following the Idol finale. In an interview with TV Guide, Harmon described his upcoming debut album with Big Machine Records as “country soul.” Trent explained that while he doesn’t exactly know what that means yet, he does know that soul is at the core of all of his music.

“Soul music is in right now and it’s cool to sing, but it’s what comes out of me naturally. If I’m singing gospel music, or I’m singing country music, or I’m singing pop music, I sing it soulfully. That’s just how it comes out. So I feel like that’s going to come through on this country album.”

Trent Harmon may not know what “country soul” means right now, but Idol mentor and president of Big Machine Label Group Scott Borchetta has his own thoughts, describing it as “a Justin Timberlake country record.” Prior to the Idol finale, Borchetta told Taste of Country that country music is a natural choice for Southern charmer Trent Harmon.

“I think it’s very true to who he is. He’s always done country in his set. He lives on a true farm-to-table farm and restaurant … he’s a country boy.”

Watch American Idol winner Trent Harmon sing the national anthem at the Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond, Sunday, at 1 p.m. ET, on Fox.

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]

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