LUBBOCK, Texas — Starting September 2, KLBK will be among 171 Nexstar stations reviving an old tradition by starting daily broadcasts with a rendition of the United States National Anthem.

The Star-Spangled Banner was once a staple on local television stations, being used to signify the beginning or end of the broadcast day.

The new series will showcase multiple renditions of the anthem by emerging artists and is a partnership between Nexstar, Broadcast Music Inc., and Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business in Nashville.

KLBK’s sister station KAMC will also begin the day by airing the National Anthem.

Read the full release from Nexstar Media Group, Inc. below:

Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST) (the “Company”) announced today a new partnership with Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI®) and Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business to air a new singer/songwriter series featuring a daily broadcast of the U.S. National Anthem performed by a variety of emerging artists. The Star-Spangled Banner was once a staple on local television stations, signifying the beginning or end of the broadcast day, and with this new collaboration, Nexstar is restoring this long-held tradition across 171 stations in 100 markets starting this Labor Day, September 2, 2019.

The new singer/songwriter series will showcase multiple renditions of the National Anthem by BMI’s emerging talented songwriters who will record their own unique versions of the Star-Spangled Banner at Belmont University’s Ocean Way Studios. Nexstar will leverage its leading distribution capabilities to deliver professionally produced music video recordings of the national anthem to more than 43 million television households across the United States.

“Nexstar’s core mission is to provide exceptional service to the local communities where we operate across America through our organization-wide commitment to localism, unbiased local broadcast journalism and telling the local stories that matter to our viewers and their families,” stated Tim Busch, President of Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.  “Nexstar’s local teams take great pride in their ability to bring the local communities they serve together and that is why we are excited to partner with BMI and Belmont University to broadcast this new daily series featuring the Star-Spangled Banner that will air 365 days of each year. This unique collaboration supports higher education in business for the music and entertainment industry, while providing aspiring professional artists and songwriters a national distribution platform to showcase their respective talents. We look forward to returning the time-honored tradition of including the National Anthem in our stations’ broadcasts with this new partnership.”

“This unique partnership gives BMI’s songwriters a wonderful platform to showcase their vocal talent to viewers across the country,” said Dan Spears, Vice President, Industry Relations, BMI.  “We’re thrilled that Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business has generously provided its state-of-the-art recording studio as well.  I’m looking forward to hearing how our songwriters perform their own special rendition of one of the nation’s most beloved patriotic songs.”

The first group of songwriters to be featured include Nashville-based Brian Sutherland, Texas native Kristen Kelly, and 2018 American Idol contestant Julia Cole.  All musical genres will be highlighted during the series.