Ex-Florida Georgia Line singer Brian Kelley to perform at Republican National Convention

Volusia County native and ex-Florida Georgia Line singer Brian Kelley is slated to perform during prime time on Wednesday as part of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

The country star, now forging a solo career, will perform the song “American Spirit” on the convention stage, according to his father, former Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley. He is slated to perform “in the 8 p.m. hour,” Kelley said, though he’s unclear whether that reflected the Eastern or Central time zones.

“The word we had on it was 8:20, but you know how things go, it could change,” Kelley said. “We looked on the schedule and everything they list is Central Time,” so the performance could likely unfold between 9 and 10 p.m. for viewers in Volusia and Flagler counties.

Kelley’s participation in the convention also was confirmed by his Nashville-based publicist Jensen Sussman, who confirmed that the singer is slated to perform in the 8 p.m. hour in the Eastern Time Zone.

Kelley’s parents were beaming about their son’s participation in the event.

“We’re proud of him for being able to do it,” Ed Kelley said. “I think this also clears up any confusion anyone may have about where he stands in his support for country. We’re glad that he has the opportunity to sing at least one of his songs about his love of country.”

Released as a single over the July 4th weekend in 2022, “American Spirit” is a tribute those who have sacrificed to defend America’s freedoms. It was inspired by the singer's grandfather, John Edward Kelley, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, was a prisoner of war and earned two purple hearts.

The song’s chorus offers the following lyrics:

“American spirit, that red, white and blue/ It's flying for freedom, for me and for you/ It's what I believe in, this country I love/ That American spirit runs in our blood”

What are Brian Kelley’s Volusia roots?

Kelley was born and raised in Ormond Beach, the son of former Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley. A 2004 graduate of Seabreeze High School, he played high-school baseball on local diamonds and nurtured his musical aspirations attending concerts at the Daytona Beach Bandshell.

“It’s a special place that pushed me and helped me along the way,” Kelley said of the Bandshell in an interview with The News-Journal ahead of a homecoming performance there in 2023. “It’s always in my heart, in my head. I still think back to those days.”

Kelley celebrated his roots in the music video for the 2021 single “Florida Boy Forever,” which featured the singer against a backdrop of Volusia and Flagler county landmarks.

In case you missed it:With 'Florida Boy Forever,' Ormond Beach native Brian Kelley celebrates his roots

Why did Florida Georgia Line split?

Kelley teamed with musical partner Tyler Hubbard in 2012 to form Florida Georgia Line, a genre-blending country duo that dominated the charts for a decade. The duo has logged 19 No. 1 singles, more than 17 billion global streams and 4.8 million albums sold.

Florida Georgia Line is the only country act to achieve two RIAA Diamond-certified singles — the 14-time platinum No. 1s “Cruise” and “Meant to Be” with Bebe Rexha.

A look at Kelley's Volusia roots:'DREAM COME TRUE'

After rumblings about a pending split that had started in 2020, the duo officially played their final show together ― for the time being at least ― in August 2022. Along the way, Kelley released his 2021 debut solo album, “Sunshine State of Mind.” In January 2023, Hubbard released a self-titled solo debut album.

There had been speculation that political differences had played a role in the split, but Kelley hasn’t offered much insight into the reasons. Kelley told The News-Journal in 2023 that he’s open to the possibility of a FGL reunion, but is focusing on his own music right now.

“I love what we created, and I think people still want to see it. We’ll just have to see,” he said. “That answer is not held with me. Right now, we’re on a break and really focusing on solo careers. I’m just excited to be focused on building my career.”