Dixon country artist to sing national anthem at Cubs game: ‘It’s bigger than a bucket list thing’

DIXON – A Dixon native says singing the national anthem July 2 at Wrigley Field will be one of the most special days of her life.

Gina Venier has been building her career as a Nashville-based alternative country music artist for the past 15 years. The die-hard Chicago Cubs fan will perform her acoustic version of the national anthem at Wrigley Field on July 2 during the Cubs vs. Cleveland Guardians game, which starts at 7:05 p.m.

“As a lifelong Cubs fan family, this is a dream come true, especially for Gina,” said her father, Mike Venier. “We got to hear her rendition Sunday for Father’s Day and all four of us were brought to tears.”

Gina, a local music favorite who moved to Nashville in 2013, auditioned for “American Idol” the following year, making it to Hollywood and the top 48. Since then, Venier has continued to chase her dream.

The national anthem opportunity came up while she was performing at The Listening Room Cafe, a live music venue in Nashville where Gina’s held a spot as a featured artist for the last couple years. During her round, she was talking about her love of baseball and the Cubs, Gina said.

After her set, Gina was approached by someone in the crowd who connected with her music and worked for a Major League Baseball team in San Diego. As they were talking, the person told Gina that she knows someone who works for the Cubs and to send her a video of her singing the national anthem, which was then sent on to the Cubs as an audition tape, Gina said.

“I couldn’t believe that happened. It really was like the stars aligning in that moment,” she said.

It took her about a week to put together her own version of the song and she heard from the Cubs almost immediately after she sent them the clip, Gina said.

In it, Gina’s playing guitar and takes “a singer-songwriter approach to such an iconic song,” she said. It’s been a fun challenge, she said.

“I’m excited about the version that I’m presenting,” she said. “When you get asked to perform our country’s song and add that it’s the greatest stadium, it’s one of my favorite places so it’s a lot to even try to process that this is happening. It’s bigger than a bucket list thing.

“It’s intense for me. It’s deep for me,” she said, explaining that she “loves everything about the Cubs’ culture.”

She watches every game and keeps up with the team.

“All I’ve been doing is thinking about it and preparing for it. I’m hoping to create a special experience for everyone there,” Gina said. “As an independent artist this has led to so many more opportunities.”

One of them is an endorsement deal with Taylor Guitars, she said.

Taylor Guitars, founded in 1974 and headquartered in California, is a very prestigious brand and a leader in the music industry, Gina said.

During her performance at Wrigley Field, she’ll be using a customized Cubs guitar from the brand and will be featured by the brand as an official “Taylor Artist,” she said.

It’s also led to her being noticed by other MLB teams, including the Texas Rangers. She’ll be performing the national anthem at the Rangers vs. California Athletics game July 22 at the Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, Gina said.

Tickets to the Cubs game start at $47 and can be purchased at mlb.com. The game can also be watched live on the Marquee Sports Network. Visit marqueesportsnetwork.com/providers for channel numbers.