Rising country singer Alli Leighann belted out Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" inside an empty Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 13, warming up hours before the Nashville Predators took the ice against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Wearing a black Predators shirt with sparkling sleeves, the 25-year-old Alabama native stood on the Ford Band Stage as her drummer, guitarist and bassist rehearsed behind her. Rows of vacant blue seats stretched across the arena. In a few hours, thousands of hockey fans would fill them.
For Leighann, born Alli Leighann Carruth, the performance fulfilled a dream that began a decade earlier.
"I've been coming to the Preds games since I was 15," she said.
Her older brother, then a college student, brought her to Nashville for her first
game.
"This is my first time ever playing in an arena," she said. "I've been wanting to play here forever."
Leighann is among the emerging musicians selected to perform during Predators games, part of an entertainment operation that puts rising artists on the same stage as some of Nashville's biggest names.
Leighann started writing songs and playing guitar at 10, inspired by her grandfather, Mississippi singer-songwriter Paul Ott. By 13, she was traveling to Nashville to pursue music. She eventually moved to Music City, building an independent country career with songs including "I Love Alabama," "Tennessee Honey" and "Wallen On Your Radio."
A previous performance on the Predators' outdoor stage earned her an invitation to perform inside Bridgestone Arena.
Picking the perfect lineup
For Teri Johnson, senior manager of game presentation and the Predators' game producer, putting on a hockey game requires the precision of a live television broadcast, the coordination of a concert and an understanding of Nashville's musical identity.
"Anytime that you hear us talking about our game presentation, we call it a show," Johnson said. "Sometimes I have to correct myself in meetings because it is a game for everybody, but for us it's a show that's entertaining for the fans."
Johnson grew up in Eunice, Louisiana, where sports were a family affair. Both parents coached for more than three decades, and Johnson played college softball in Shreveport.
She spent five years working in minor league hockey before a professional connection brought her to Nashville. Eight months later, the Predators offered her a position and she joined the organization midway through the 2023-24 season.
The transition placed Johnson at the intersection of two industries, sports and entertainment, that define Music City.
"My second day on the job was a game day," she said, emphasizing that sports and entertainment are intertwined in Nashville. "We're at the heart of Broadway. I like to say we're in the belly of the beast."
The Predators have 32 home games remaining in the 2026-27 season, beginning Nov. 7 against the St. Louis Blues and continuing through April 10 against the Dallas Stars.
Throughout the season, the team books more than 192 musical performances across Bridgestone Arena and its surrounding entertainment spaces, with 82 to 100 taking place inside the arena. The lineup includes 42 Ford Band Stage performances, 42 national anthems, 23 plaza bands, approximately 60 DJ appearances in the plaza and atrium, 15 acoustic performances and more than 10 specialty performances tied to themed games and celebrations.
For most home games, four singers rotate national anthem duties: Katie Ohh, a Nashville nurse who tours with Keith Urban; Cathy Mullins, a music teacher and Gold Star mom; Keesha Rainey, known for her energetic performances; and Tamica Nicole, a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. All four are celebrating their 10th season with the team.
Fans can also attend themed games, including Pride Night on Jan. 5, Black Music Heritage Night on Feb. 16 and API Music Heritage Night on Feb. 23. The musical performances on those nights will match the given theme. Performing at Bridgestone Arena gives emerging artists exposure to thousands of hockey fans, including Nashville music industry professionals, and an opportunity to build their local following.
"I just hope it's something I can look back on and be like, 'This is the start of playing, getting to play in arenas,'" Leighann said.
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Booking talent
So how does a musician land a spot on the Predators' game-day lineup?
The process begins in July when the NHL releases its schedule. Johnson and her team organize theme nights around opponents, holidays and community celebrations, comparing the scheduling process to a game of Tetris.
By August, the calendar is largely finalized and the team begins booking musicians, prioritizing artists based in Tennessee while occasionally recruiting talent from out of state. For Hispanic Music Heritage Night on Oct. 3, for example, the Predators brought in Florida-based musician Marcela Pinilla to perform.
The team maintains a spreadsheet of prospective performers discovered through social media, Whiskey Jam, CMA Fest and television competitions including "American Idol" and "The Voice."
Johnson also works with David Kells and Brittney Hitch, whose music industry connections help secure performers for major events and the team's Music City bobblehead series.
Musicians frequently approach the organization themselves.
"Sometimes I get DMs on social media," she said. "I get a lot of emails, which is what we love to see. Sometimes people stop by, like today someone stopped by and gave their information at our front office."
There are even a few musicians who have established relationships with the team and can perform the same night when needed.
The Predators have four rotating national anthem singers who are marking their 10th season with the organization. Among them is Ohh, a Nashville nurse who also tours with Keith Urban.
Urban has also performed at Bridgestone Arena for the Predators and ranks among Johnson's favorite collaborators.
"He just showed up and was like really excited and passionate and eager to be here," Johnson said.
During a Music City bobblehead celebration honoring the country superstar, the "Somebody Like You" singer eagerly participated in the in-game camera segments and sang the answers during a finish-the-lyric contest. Carrie Underwood also performed the national anthem at least twice, back when her husband played with the Predators.
Looking to the future, Johnson's wish list of performers includes Noah Kahan, Tate McRae and Taylor Swift.
"She's going to be here next month for CMA Awards," Johnson said. "So we're just going to manifest it."
Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How the Nashville Predators book musicians for NHL games | Exclusive
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