LEBANON, Tenn. — Yellow Banks will take the pre-race concert stage ahead of the Cracker Barrel 400 after winning Nashville Superspeedway’s “Next Rising Star” contest at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row in downtown Nashville.
The country and western band from Owensboro, Kentucky, outlasted finalists Karissa Ella and Makenzie Phipps before a panel of judges and a live audience to earn the coveted performance slot.
Yellow Banks will perform on the infield stage ahead of the Cracker Barrel 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on May 31 at Nashville Superspeedway.
“We’re excited to give an up-and-coming artist the opportunity to perform in front of thousands of NASCAR fans before the Cracker Barrel 400,” said Matt Greci, general manager of Nashville Superspeedway. “This contest embodies what our ‘High-Speed Honky Tonk’ is all about. We want to bring together the best of racing and entertainment here in Music City.”
The three finalists each performed a handful of songs in front of a raucous crowd at Whiskey Row, with Yellow Banks opening the showcase with an energy-packed 20-minute set. The band’s sound blends traditional country, western swing, rockabilly and funk, and is known for electric live performances anchored by hard-hitting lyrics, pounding rhythm and soulful guitar work.
Band member James Elliott said the win was unexpected from the start.
“When they announced our name, I just kind of lost it,” Elliott told the Owensboro Times. “We didn’t expect to even make it down there, so hearing that was pretty surreal.”
Elliott and the band leaned on strong community support to advance through the competition’s earlier rounds, which included a fan engagement phase that narrowed the field of dozens and dozens to only 10 before three finalists were selected for Saturday’s live showcase.
Formed in 2020, Yellow Banks features six members and is currently working on its second album. The group released its first single from the project in March.
To see Yellow Banks perform live at Nashville Superspeedway and for more information on the Cracker Barrel 400 race weekend, visit NashvilleSuperspeedway.com.
— NashvilleSuperspeedway.com —
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