Charlotte native Anthony Hamilton to sing national anthem at NBA All-Star Game

Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker isn’t the only local talent feeling himself heading into NBA All-Star Weekend. Charlotte, North Carolina-born rhythm and blues singer/songwriter Anthony Hamilton is happy to return home and do what he does best. But Hamilton is also seasoned enough to know that home-court advantage can lull even the biggest performers into a false sense of security.

“I know I’m not boo-proof,” said the 17-time Grammy nominee, who won the Grammy for best traditional R&B performance for 2008’s “You’ve Got the Love I Need” with Al Green. Hamilton will sing the national anthem before the NBA’s midseason classic on Feb. 17 at the Spectrum Center, home of the Hornets. “The safest thing to do is to not do too much,” said the 48-year-old father of six boys who range in age from 6 to 30. “People like the national anthem more standard, but you can also make it your own with different inflections and vocal textures.”

The Spectrum Center is hardly unfamiliar territory for Hamilton, as he’s sung the anthem five times for Michael Jordan’s team. But this performance, which will be seen and heard by fans in more than 200 countries and territories, will have an extra helping of Carolina barbecue, and he finds that comforting. “Anytime you’re home amongst your people and your peers, you tend to hold stuff a little closer to your heart,” said Hamilton, who attended South Mecklenburg High School, the largest high school in North Carolina. “I’m not just singing for me. I’m singing for my whole community and the people who loved me for so long and supported me. So it’s like the whole broader community is coming out to sing.”

Known for his raspy and soulful voice, Hamilton, a musical descendant of Green and Sam Cooke, has achieved global sales of more than 50 million albums. He rose to prominence in 2003 with his platinum-selling second studio album Comin’ from Where I’m From, featuring the title track and follow-up single “Charlene.”

There is no doubt that All-Star Weekend will spotlight the best that North Carolina has to offer. Besides Hamilton, Walker will make his third All-Star appearance (and first-ever start), Fayetteville native J. Cole will perform during halftime of the 68th annual game and Hornets rookie Miles Bridges will be among the league’s highfliers competing in the Slam Dunk Contest.

As a bonus, the NBA’s first family — the Currys, who have ties to Charlotte — will get plenty of looks, with brothers Stephen and Seth dueling in the 3-point contest on Friday night. All this familiarity will add to a nice vibe, Hamilton said. “That’s true,” said Hamilton, who’s also known for the song “Freedom” from the soundtrack album of Django Unchained. “I’m gon’ have family in the stands … some family outside trying to get in and some at home watching on TV,” he joked. “It’ll be a little bit of everything.”

A North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductee who is working on his ninth studio album and has performed for former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Hamilton said his “game prep” is bigger than a simple sound check.

“The night before, I make sure I’m rested up, hydrated and get a good sleep,” he said. “I make sure my outfit is going to be comfortable enough and I feel really good about it. And the day of [the performance], I wake up, have breakfast, get to the venue in time to do sound check. When it’s time to perform, maybe like an hour or so before going on, I just like to sit quiet, and before I go on stage, I pop an extremely strong mint gum, I say a prayer, and I go out there and give it all I’ve got.”

Once his job is done, Hamilton plans to take in as much of All-Star Weekend as his schedule allows — while being his city’s biggest cheerleader.

“Charlotte is a beautiful city that’s capable of hosting one of the most amazing and big events of the year, and it’s a place you should see and experience,” Hamilton said of his hometown, which is hosting its second All-Star Game since 1991. It’s also among the three fastest-growing big cities in the country, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released last year. “But [experience it] not just around All-Star, but throughout the year. Take in some of the beautiful sites: the greenery, the Southern hospitality and the love that we have here to offer. This is my city.”