Rascal Flatts Contest Earns Military Wife Opening Performance Spot at Va. Show

A military wife and mother, who is also an aspiring country singer, earned the opportunity to sing at Rascal Flatts' concert last Sunday (June 24) at the Farm Bureau in Virgina Beach, Va. FOX News reports that Kimberly Morlino, 28, of Virginia Beach, was the Grand Prize winner in the nationwide Flatts Fest Karaoke Challenge.

Her soulful karaoke performance of the pop-country hit "Black Velvet" nabbed nearly 15 percent of the more than 35,000 votes cast via Facebook, giving Kimberly the chance to perform for the crowd just before the trio took the stage last weekend. (Watch her karaoke video below, followed by her performance at the Flatts' show.)

In a statement announcing her win, Kimberly credited Rascal Flatts with helping ease the difficulty of spending time apart from her husband, who is currently serving with the U.S. military.

"'Bless the Broken Road' is our song," Kimberly noted of the trio's 2005 hit, which she and her husband danced to at their wedding nearly seven years ago. She also said that although she and her husband talk as often as they are able to, the demands on a military wife and mother can be a struggle.

"Being a part of the contest has helped me not miss him quite as much," she added. Kimberly is currently putting the finishing touches on her album, which includes "Home to Me," a song dedicated to her husband.

Rascal Flatts' Changed tour continues with a stop at Summerfest tonight (June 27) in Milwaukee, and upcoming shows this weekend in Ohio and N.Y. Keep track of the group's tour schedule here.