OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder has signed on to become the first franchisee of Southern Hospitality BBQ, a Memphis-style barbecue restaurant and bar based in New York City. Tedder, clearly a big fan of specialty bourbons and smoked meats, has already opened a second location with restaurant founder Eytan Sugarman in the Hell's Kitchen restaurant.

"I have been involved with Southern Hospitality BBQ in New York for some time, and I’m looking forward to taking this relationship to the next level," Tedder said in a statement released on Monday.

Photos: Random Notes

Tedder intends to bring the restaurant chain to Denver, Nashville, Dallas, Austin, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Phoenix, Palo Alto and Washington, D.C. Tedder is joined in the franchise venture with Accredited Members Holding Corp., an investment research and consulting firm from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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