LOS ANGELES – American Idol winner Lee DeWyze will perform at his first major sporting event since capturing the competition’s crown when he sings the U.S. national anthem on Sunday, June 6, prior to Game 2 of The Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics at the STAPLES Center. The anthem will be televised live on ABC in the U.S. and to a worldwide audience in 215 countries and territories beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The Finals will be DeWyze’s first appearance at a marquee sporting event before heading out on the American Idol 2010 Summer Tour. Post-Idol, his first single “Beautiful Day” was released as a digital single on May 27, 2010. DeWyze’s performance continues the NBA’s tradition of having Idol winners perform the anthem at the league’s championship series. Since 2004, the NBA has worked with American Idol winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, and Kris Allen.

Prior to Game 1 on Thursday, June 3, Grammy™ Award-winning jazz and R&B legend Jeffrey Osborne performed the anthem. He also performed for the Lakers’ crowd at The Finals in 2009, 2008, 2002, 1988, and 1985.

About Lee DeWyze

Leon James “Lee” DeWyze is a singer-songwriter from Mount Prospect, Illinois, and the winner of the ninth season of American Idol which was determined on May 25, 2010. In addition to singing, Dewyze is a musician who plays the guitar, piano and drums. DeWyze started singing at an early age and was discovered by the Chicagoan Louis Svitek when he was 17 and signed him to independent record label WuLi Records. He released two independent albums, So I’m Told in 2007 and Slumberland in 2010, both on WuLi Records. As a result of touring in the area and performing at many venues, Lee and his band’s music were known locally, even getting radio play on WXRT long before he applied for Idol. DeWyze worked as a paint salesman at the time of applying to Idol and continued to do so until the Hollywood rounds of the show. DeWyze was the only male contestant in Season 9 to never land in the bottom three. DeWyze signed a record deal with 19 Entertainment/RCA Records and he will go on tour with fellow Idol contestants this summer.