Nelson, Keith, Groban Join Super Bowl Lineup

01/20/2004 2:32 PM, Reuters


Country stars Willie Nelson and Toby Keith and chart-topping vocalist Josh Groban have joined the performance lineup for the Super Bowl XXXVIII pre-game show on Feb. 1.

Aerosmith will headline the "Welcome to Houston-The Spirit of Texas" -themed event.

Also on board for the festivities at Houston's Reliant Stadium are Houston-based Latin artists Walter Suhr and Mango Punch! The National Anthem will be sung by Beyonce Knowles prior to the game, while the MTV-produced halftime show will star Janet Jackson , P. Diddy, Kid Rock and Nelly.

Groban is expected to sing his song "You Raise Me Up" joined by crew members from an upcoming U.S. space shuttle mission as part of the National Football League's (NFL) salute to NASA . Feb. 1 will mark the first anniversary of the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew.

Super Bowl XXXVIII will be televised by CBS to an expected 130 million U.S. viewers. CBS coverage begins at 11 a.m. ET; game time is 6 p.m. ET.

In related news, Sammy Hagar and Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony are among the performers set for SuperBash, a five-day concert series in Houston running Jan. 28-Feb. 1. Hagar will also host the main stage for three days, which will see performances from Eve 6, Deana Carter , Trick Pony, Better Than Exra, BR5-49 and Asleep At The Wheel, among others.

Reuters/Billboard