Nashville recording artist Brittney Spencer performed the national anthem to kick off the 2023 NFL Draft Thursday in Kansas City.

Spencer, 34, is a Baltimore native who moved to Nashville in 2013 to pursue her music career.

She attended Middle Tennessee State while performing in local honkytonks after arriving in Nashville.

Spencer got her first break as a background singer for Christopher Cross and Carrie Underwood.

In 2020 Spencer made a splash when she posted on Twtter a cover "Crowded Table" by The HighWomen, which received 150,000 views and was re-tweeted Amanda Shires and Maren Morris. Both artists also praised Spencer.

In 2021 she toured as an opener for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Three days after the death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, Spencer joined Isbell and his band in paying tribute to Watts with an encore performance of the Rolling Stones' 1969 classic "Gimme Shelter."

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville artist Brittney Spencer performs national anthem at 2023 NFL Draft