One of country music’s fastest rising stars, Graham Barham will bring his explosive sound and crowd-driven energy to Bristol Motor Speedway as the featured pre-race concert performer for the tradition-rich Food City 500 on Sunday, April 12.
Louisiana native Barham relocated to the Home of Country Music, Nashville in 2022 to hone his craft, and now he will have a breakout moment as he plays at the renowned Birthplace of Country Music, Bristol, Tennessee, when he and his band take the main infield stage at The Last Great Colosseum at 1 p.m. ET, just before 40 NASCAR Cup Series cars hit the track for the Food City 500.
Barham’s breakout single “Preachers Need People” went viral on social media in 2022 and since then he has proceeded to crank out a trio of hit EPs, including North of Hell, Oil Money and Whiskey Rain under a variety of labels. He is now best known for several hits including “Oil Money”, “Break it in a Bar”, “Shoot the Lock”, “Beer by my Bed”, “M.I.A.”, and “Whiskey Rain”. Barham also has written songs for various country music artists, including Tyler Braden’s 2024 hit, “Devil You Know” and Blake Shelton’s 2025 hit, “Stay Country or Die Tryin’”.
One of Sony Nashville’s brightest stars on Music Row, Barham describes his music style as "Club Country," a blending vibe that fuses a traditional country foundation with modern pop elements. He continues to build a strong social media presence with more than 371,000 followers on TikTok and 183,000 on Instagram.
“I’m so excited to be there in that environment— the speed, the noise, the energy,” Barham said. “Getting to bring country music into that atmosphere and be part of a NASCAR race like that? I can’t wait.”
Ticketed guests are able to get closer to the music by adding on a Pre-Race Infield Experience upgrade to move to the front of the stage. The pass also includes access to the popular Driver Introductions, which take place after the concert. To purchase this upgrade, please click here.
“Bristol is a stage built for big moments, and we’re thrilled to have Graham Barham kick off the Food City 500 with the pre-race concert performance,” said Jerry Caldwell, president and general manager, Bristol Motor Speedway. “His style is known for bringing the kind of energy our fans will love – and that’s exactly the attitude the drivers take to the high banks after the green flag drops at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
The race weekend kicks off with the Craftsman Trucks on the Bristol high banks on the evening of April 10 for the Tennessee Army National Guard 250 Truck Race (7:30 p.m., FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM Radio); On Saturday, April 11, it will be action-packed with the Suburban Propane 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race (7:30 p.m., The CW, PRN Radio, Sirius XM Radio) and Bush’s Beans Qualifying for both the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series; The tradition-rich Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race will thrill fans on Sunday afternoon, April 12 (3 p.m., FS1, PRN Radio, Sirius XM Radio) and bring the fun weekend to a triumphant finish.
In addition to cheering on their favorite drivers on the track, fans at Bristol Motor Speedway will definitely want to take advantage of so many activities to make a complete weekend of family fun. There will be great video entertainment provided by Colossus TV, the world's largest center-hung video screen, plenty of music throughout the event, premium VIP experiences, tailgating, on-site camping, a pre-race track walk on the legendary oval, and other entertainment at the Food City Fan Zone Stage headlined by Trackside Live with Kenny Wallace and John Roberts, great food and beverages in the concession stands throughout the property, and so much more.
Fans can purchase tickets to the Food City 500 weekend of races or any events at Bristol Motor Speedway, please visit the track’s website or call the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158. You can also purchase tickets at any neighborhood Food City store while supplies lasts.
