American singer
Musical artist
Marlana Danieal VanHoose (born June 25, ) is an American contemporary Christian singer. She achieved fame by singing the National Anthem at major professional sporting events.
VanHoose was born in Columbus, Ohio on June 25, , and was the first of two children born to David VanHoose, a correctional officer in the federal prison system and Teresa (née Blair) VanHoose, a school teacher. VanHoose was born with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) which hindered the development of her optic nerve, rendering her blind at birth and a diagnosis that she would not live past one year of age. After her first year, her parents were told that the virus was in remission. At the age of two, VanHoose was diagnosed with a mild case of cerebral palsy.[1]
At two years old, VanHoose began playing the piano and humming the gospel classic, "Jesus Loves Me." Her first major performance was in , in which she sang the national anthem at a University of Kentucky Women's Basketball game. A spectator filmed the performance and placed it on YouTube and the video went viral. VanHoose subsequently joined the Artists Music Guild, a professional artists relations and protection firm, in , and they currently handle her career and have launched her to a worldwide audience. In , the CBS Evening News aired a complete story on VanHoose entitled, "Teen's Big Voice Shatters Obstacles."[2] She has been featured on other entertainment shows such as Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition. A feature story about VanHoose and the UK Women's Basketball, entitled, "Loud and Proud" was aired by ESPN-E VanHoose sung for the NBA Playoffs and game six of the NBA Finals.[3][4] She has performed at three various NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Races. In , VanHoose performed at Carnegie Hall as a premier guest.[5] She was the official anthem singer for the Republican National Convention and appeared on Good Morning America the next morning from the floor of the convention center.[6] In December , VanHoose opened the New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden to an audience of over twenty thousand in attendance. On June 25, , she sang the national anthem to open game two of the Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. On March 28, , she sang the national anthem on Opening Day in Cincinnati, OH, before the Reds’ game against the Washington Nationals.
VanHoose recorded her first major project in entitled, "Do Right." The project was written and produced for her by fellow Christian recording artist David L Cook and Elddy Trevino and released under DLC Records.[7] Cook took over VanHoose' management in and launched her onto a national level which included performing for the Republican National Convention and the Republican Inauguration Concert Series. VanHoose sang for the presidential concerts at the Lincoln Memorial on the Mall as well as being the featured artist for the Day of Prayer at the National Cathedral on January 22, VanHoose was the only performer of the day given a standing ovation led by Melania Trump after being moved to tears by her rendition of the classic gospel hymn, "How Great Thou Art.".[9][10]