Daily Review

Singer ready to fill stadium with pride

By Jason Bono
Correspondent

OAKLAND - Kimberlee has an important role singing "The Star Bangled Banner" before today's Fourth of July Oakland A's home game. Thousands of baseball fans will look to her to provide their goosebumps of national pride, and Kimberlee, who goes by just the one name, is a good fit for the job.

The singer, songwriter and recording artist has plenty of practice wowing large crowds with national anthem solos, and she's in the midst of a U.S. tour spreading musical messages of - among other things - freedom. She also has local appeal, having been born in the East Bay and trained in Oakland.

Oakland A's fans will stand - some saluting, others removing hats - when Kimberlee takes the Network Associates Coliseum grass at 12:30 p.m. before the first pitch is thrown in the A's regular-season conference match-up against the Anaheim Angels.

Kimberlee has sung the national anthem at the U.S. Olympics and the Grand National Rodeo as well as at home games for the A's, San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and San Jose Sharks.

The rock, soul, and folk vocalist trained for nine years with the late Judy Davis, an Oakland voice coach.