Even though he’s from New Zealand, country music star Keith Urban said singing America’s national anthem was one of the proudest moments of his life.

Urban has lived in the U.S. for the last 25 years and has been happily embraced by the country music community.

The singer was all smiles as he strode out onto the ice in a #17 Nashville Predators hockey jersey and performed the “Star-Spangled Banner” without musical accompaniment at MusicCity‘s Bridgestone Arena in 2017. And the home team took a win in their subsequent playoff game against the Anaheim Ducks in Game Three of the Western Conference finals.

“I’ve lived in America 25 years, I’ve never been asked to sing the national anthem. It was such an honor to do it here in Nashville for the Preds,” he said in an interview posted to Twitter.

It’s not an easy song and fans are always eager to hear it done well, complete with the right high notes (and preferably with no creative embellishment).

“It’s a nerve-wracking experience, but above all it’s a huge honor. For me, for all the years I’ve lived here one of the proudest moments ever in my life,” Urban said.

Being the country music capital of the nation, the Predators have often chosen singers of this genre to perform the national anthem at their hockey games. Previous performances include Carrie Underwood (whose husband is Predators captain Mike Fisher), Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan and Vince Gill.

Despite all the audience fun, Rolling Stone reported that the Predators’ regular anthem singer, healthcare IT recruiting manager Dennis K. Morgan, “has expressed his displeasure with the upstaging.” He’s been singing at the Predators’ games since he moved to Nashville 17 years ago.

Morgan told the Tennessean,

“I don’t blame Carrie Underwood or Luke Bryan or any of the other acts who have performed. I’ve been as good-natured as I can be. With my closest friends, I’ve certainly shared my disappointment. But most of the time I’ll toe the company line and say, ‘Why am I not singing? Because I don’t have seven Grammys, I’m not married to the captain, she’s a whole lot prettier than me,’ that kind of thing and try to leave it at that.”

The team released a statement saying, in part:

“Our arrangement with him has always allowed for nationally and internationally renowned musical artists to perform when available to further enhance our game experience while paying respect to our country through their respective awe-inspiring renditions of the national anthem.”

And from the looks of it, the audience loves getting a glimpse of a celebrity at their sporting events. The Grammy winner’s wife, actress Nicole Kidman, was also spotted in the audience wearing a team jersey.

Unfortunately, the Predators would fall to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup finals that year, but it looks like Nashville is finding its own way to embrace the sport.

Be sure to scroll down below to see Urban’s performance.

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Source: Taste of Country, NHL Network via Twitter, SPORTSNET via YouTube, Tennessean, Rolling Stone