LOUISVILLE, KY — August 29, 2026 — Kentucky country artist JD Shelburne added another first to his career on Saturday, August 29, when he was invited by the Louisville Bats to throw the ceremonial first pitch at Louisville Slugger Field for the first time in his career.
The special night became even more meaningful as Shelburne hosted over 70 members of his Shelburneville Fan Club for a fan club outing at the ballpark, bringing together fans from across the region and other states for an evening of baseball, music and memories.
Although Shelburne is best known today for his career in country music, he is no stranger to the mound. The Taylorsville, Kentucky native grew up playing sports and remained heavily involved in high school basketball and baseball before music ultimately became his calling. In 2002, everything changed when Shelburne found his grandmother’s guitar — an instrument that would eventually lead him down the path toward a career in country music.
Saturday night marked the first time Shelburne had thrown the first pitch for a minor league organization, making the experience a memorable milestone in a career that has included thousands of performances, a Grand Ole Opry debut, CMT appearances and appearances on stages across the country.
“It was such a great time,” said Shelburne. “I’ve spent my whole life playing sports, so getting the opportunity to step onto the mound one more time and throw out the first pitch was really special. To be able to share that night in front of my parents, my wife and son with the Shelburneville Fan Club made it even sweeter.”
Shelburne expressed his gratitude to the Louisville Bats for the invitation and to the fans who continue to support his career through the Shelburneville Fan Club.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Louisville Bats for having me to be part of such a special night, and I’m just as thankful for every fan who continues to support Shelburneville and renews their membership.” Shelburne added.
“My fan club is a very special group of loyal followers, and nights like this are why I love what I do.” The Louisville Bats are the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and play their home games at Louisville Slugger Field in downtown Louisville.
For JD Shelburne, a night that began on the baseball diamond became another memorable chapter in a career that started with a guitar and continues to bring him back home to Kentucky.
About JD Shelburne
JD Shelburne is a Kentucky-born country music artist from Taylorsville, Kentucky. Since launching his music career, Shelburne has performed more than 3,000 shows, opened for more than 75 national acts and built a devoted fan base through his music, live performances and connection to his Kentucky roots. His career highlights include his Grand Ole Opry debut, a Top 10 and Top 30 iTunes albums, 9 straight CMT Music Videos, 2 #1 songs on CMT and performances at major venues and festivals across the country.
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