Article Contributed by Big Hassle Media
Published on 2026-04-29
Photo: Courtesy of Chapman Baehler
Churchill Downs Racetrack (“Churchill Downs”) announced that GRAMMY® and Blues Music Award-winning Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi will perform the national anthem at the 152nd Kentucky Derby this Saturday, May 2, 2026. The pair will perform a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” just after 5:00 p.m. EDT, with the performance broadcast live as part of NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage.
“Tedeschi Trucks Band’s soulful sound and remarkable vocal presence make them an exciting addition to this year’s Kentucky Derby,” said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to Churchill Downs and know their performance will capture the energy, emotion, and spirit that define Derby Day.”
Revered 12-piece powerhouse ensemble Tedeschi Trucks Band recently released their sixth studio album, Future Soul, and began a six-month tour across North America. Besides winning a GRAMMY® in 2012 for Best Blues Album, the band also garnered two nominations, as well as numerous Blues Music Awards and Americana Music Association nominations. They continue to solidify their place as one of the most dynamic acts in music today.
“Performing at the Kentucky Derby is a true honor for us,” said Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. “We’re thrilled to be invited and grateful for the opportunity to perform at such an iconic event.”
Tedeschi Trucks Band is the latest to join a legacy of iconic performers who have delivered the national anthem at the Kentucky Derby, including Grace Potter (2025), Wynonna Judd (2024), Carly Pearce (2023), Brittney Spencer (2022), 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), Mary J. Blige (2012), Jordin Sparks (2011), Rascal Flatts (2010), and LeAnn Rimes (2009).
ABOUT CHURCHILL DOWNS RACETRACK:
Churchill Downs (“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 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 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 and Race and Sports Book.
ABOUT TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND:
Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks—individually revered, together virtually unmatched—bring extraordinary pedigree and musicianship to every project they touch. But it’s the heart, honesty, and deeply collaborative spirit of the full ensemble that makes Tedeschi Trucks Band’s latest album, Future Soul, the most powerful and distinctive release yet from the 12-piece ensemble.
Future Soul arrived with high expectations and delivered. The band’s 2011 debut, Revelator, earned the 2012 GRAMMY® Award for Best Blues Album, while 2018’s Live from the Fox Oakland garnered a nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Over the years, TTB has received multiple honors from the Americana Music Association and won Band of the Year at the Blues Music Awards in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2023.
The group has sold out iconic venues like Madison Square Garden and performed more than 20 nights at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. In 2024, Tedeschi and Trucks performed at the Kennedy Center Honors, paying tribute to artists including Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead. The full band returned in 2025 for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, honoring one of their key influences, Joe Cocker.
In 2026, in support of Future Soul, Tedeschi Trucks Band will bring their electrifying live show across the U.S. on their annual headlining tour, with major festival appearances including Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, among others.
