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Brett Eldredge selected to judge Miss America pageant

FILE - In this June 10, 2015 file photo, Brett Eldredge arrives at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Eldredge is the first of seven judges to be announced Monday, Aug. 3, for ABC’s live broadcast of the Miss America competition, which will be held in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 13. (Photo by Sanford Myers/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - In this June 10, 2015 file photo, Brett Eldredge arrives at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Eldredge is the first of seven judges to be announced Monday, Aug. 3, for ABC’s live broadcast of the Miss America competition, which will be held in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 13. (Photo by Sanford Myers/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this June 10, 2015 file photo, Brett Eldredge arrives at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Eldredge is the first of seven judges to be announced Monday, Aug. 3, for ABC’s live broadcast of the Miss America competition, which will be held in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 13. (Photo by Sanford Myers/Invision/AP, File)

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – Country singer Brett Eldredge is the first of seven judges to be announced for ABC’s live broadcast of the 2016 Miss America competition.

The reigning Country Music Association new artist of the year said the upcoming gig was “a dream come true.”

Additional hosts and judges for the competition will be announced in the coming weeks. Fifty-two women representing their home states and territories will be competing in the Sept. 13 pageant, which will be held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The “Don’t Ya” singer will be releasing his second album, “Illinois,” named after his home state, on Sept. 11.