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Songwriters with ties to Middle Tennessee State University will gather this month for the first-ever musical fundraiser for the school’s name, image and likeness (NIL) fund, which enables student-athletes to receive compensation for their participation in college athletics.
Derek Mason, head football coach at MTSU, Chris Massaro, director of athletics at MTSU, and the Athlete Licensing Company announce the Blue Bloods in the Round songwriters show at Humble Baron at Nearest Green Distillery (3125 US-231, Shelbyville) on Thursday, Feb. 13, from 6 to 9:30 p.m.
“This first-of-its-kind event celebrates some of the ‘blue blood’ music nobility that MTSU has fostered along with the new athletic department endeavors to revenue-share with their athletes,” Mason said.
Grammy award-winning and decorated songwriters performing at the event include MTSU alums Luke Laird, Jamie Moore, Natalie Hemby and Gordie Sampson [top]. Jet Jurgensmeyer, film and Last Man Standing TV star-turned-country artist, will host Blue Bloods in the Round.
The night benefiting the MTSU athletics NIL program will include two songwriter rounds; the first round will feature up-and-coming MTSU student songwriters/artists Carter Elliott and Lauren Teel, as well Amelie Sampson, daughter of Gordie Sampson. Grady Block, currently the touring drummer for Ernest and also a staff writer for Big Loud, will round out this first crop of artists.
Following the first round, “blue bloods” Laird, Hemby, Moore and the elder Sampson will take the stage. These writers have multiple Grammy awards and nominations and over 30 number-one Billboard singles between them.
Luke Laird is a highly decorated MTSU alumnus who has won BMI Songwriter of the Year and is the co-owner of Creative Nation Music. He will perform some of his 24 number-one Billboard singles, which include “So Small” and “Undo It” (Carrie Underwood), “Gonna” (Blake Shelton), “Take a Back Road” (Rodney Atkins), “Drink in My Hand,” “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega” (Eric Church), “American Kids” (Kenny Chesney), “Fast” (Luke Bryan) and “Head Over Boots” (Jon Pardi).
Laird has also written and produced songs for Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Kacey Musgraves, Toby Keith, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Darius Rucker and many others.
Natalie Hemby is a Grammy Award-winning writer who first gained notoriety by penning hits for Miranda Lambert including “White Liar,” “Only Prettier” and “Automatic” as well as Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” and “Tornado.” As a recording artist, Hemby won a Grammy with The Highwomen, which featured her alongside Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Brandi Carlisle. She released her self-titled debut album in 2019 and a second solo album, Pins and Needles, in 2021.
Jamie Moore is a four-time Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He has a catalog of multi-genre hits and songs recorded by an impressive list of artists such as Carrie Underwood, Toby Mac, Chris Lane, Bren Joy, Blake Shelton and Tim McGraw. His recent No. 1 hits “May We All” by Florida Georgia Line and “Chasin You” by Morgan Wallen have been recurrent hits on country and pop radio. He has also produced R&B artist Bren Joy and Motown gospel artist Evvie McKinney.
Gordie Sampson is a Canadian singer-songwriter and producer from Big Pond, Nova Scotia, who lives with his family in Nashville. He has written hit songs for Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and Rascal Flatts. He has also released critically acclaimed albums with Canadian country act The Rankin Family and as a solo performer. Sampson received a Grammy Award for penning Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel.”
Host Jet Jurgensmeyer, a Nashville native who grew up performing on the stage at the famed Nashville Palace, will perform some of his own songs throughout the evening.
Blue Bloods in the Round is sponsored by the Athlete Licensing Company and will be promoted by MTSU student-athletes, with the athletes receiving NIL money for their posts on social media promoting the show.
Food and beverages will be available for guests to enjoy during the show at the “World’s Longest Bar” at Humble Baron on the campus of the Nearest Green Distillery. Find tickets for Blue Bloods in the Round at sevenrooms.com.
For more information on the Athlete Licensing Company, visit athlete-licensing.com; for more information on the MTSU Athletic Department, visit goblueraiders.com; for more information on the Humble Baron venue, visit humblebaron.com.