“Armed Forces Entertainers of the Year” to give star-spangled performance on November 13
(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Minneapolis-based rock band, Catchpenny, will fire up race fans on Veteran’s Day weekend for the Kobalt Tools 500 by performing the Star-Spangled Banner on Sunday, November 13 at Phoenix International Raceway. Catchpenny, a favorite band of American military troops, has played more than 150 concerts in combat zones in support of U.S. military serving overseas.
“It has been the most rewarding experience of our lives performing for the troops serving in Kuwait, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries over the past few years,” said Christian Schauf, lead singer and guitarist for Catchpenny. “We feel extremely fortunate to be able to pay tribute to the military and our country once again by performing the National Anthem at the Kobalt Tools 500.”
What began as one invitation to perform for the troops became years of work, performing for troops serving in Iraq, Kuwait, and other Middle Eastern countries. Along the way, band members Mark Kelly, and Christian and Zachary Schauf faced sniper fire, surface-to-air missiles, car bombs, and extreme conditions that more than once landed a band member in a medic’s tent. The band was named by the Pentagon as first-ever “Armed Forces Entertainers of the Year” and their rendition of the National Anthem will bring together a culmination of weekend entertainment scheduled in honor of Veteran’s Day weekend and NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup in Phoenix.
During their seven-year musical span, Catchpenny has toured nationally three times. They have just released their third studio album featuring classic rock musical influences, appropriately titled, “Three”, which is now available on iTunes. Their last record, From Where You Are, independently sold over 20,000 copies and their tracks have been used by Arizona Jeans, ESPN X Games, FOX (during World Series), and MTV.
