On December 14th at 7pm, JSU will be hosting the “ROC On” benefit concert featuring “former JSU students turned Nashville hitmakers” Randy Owen, Jamey Johnson, Riley Green, and Gordon Mote in the Stone Center Theatre. There are a limited number of general admission tickets remaining at a cost of $500 per ticket that can be purchased online at https://www.jsu.edu/roc-on. All the proceeds of this intimate concert will go towards the Randy Owen Center for Performing Arts (ROC) and JSU scholarships. More information about the event can also be found with the link above.
About the Artists:
Randy Owen:
Country legend Randy Owen grew up in Fort Payne, Ala., atop Lookout Mountain. He supported his education at JSU by doing odd jobs and playing barn dances in Georgia. After graduating with his bachelor’s in English in 1973, he formed the group Alabama, which quickly popularized the concept of a country band. They dominated country music throughout the 1980s and 1990s, releasing 21 gold, platinum, and multiplatinum albums. They’ve won two Grammys, achieved a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and were named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music in 1989 and Country Music Group of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1999. The band was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, while Randy Owen was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2019. Owen serves on the JSU Board of Trustees.
Jamey Johnson:
Grand Ole Opry member Jamey Johnson fell in love with music while growing up in Montgomery, Ala., the hometown of country music legend Hank Williams. One of the first songs he learned to play on guitar was Alabama’s “My Home’s in Alabama,” and the band’s June Jam was the first concert he ever attended. In the 1990s, he enrolled at JSU, played mellophone in the Marching Southerners, and then joined the Marines. In 2000, he moved to Nashville and landed a songwriting contract. After penning hits for other artists, he landed his first record deal in 2005. He’s been nominated for 11 Grammys and is one of the only artists to win two Song of the Year Awards from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.
Riley Green:
Born in Jacksonville, Ala., Riley Green learned the spirit of songwriting and performing at a young age at his grandfather’s Golden Saw Music Hall. His debut album achieved two Billboard Hot 100 hits and his second album – which features a duet with Randy Owen – resulted in him being named New Male Artist of the Year in 2020 by the Academy of Country Music. As a student at JSU, he was quarterback for the Gamecock football team. He continues to live in Jacksonville and stays engaged with campus.
Gordon Mote:
A child piano prodigy, Gordon Mote grew up in Attalla, Ala., and dreamed of becoming an entertainer. Witnessing the meteoric rise of country superstars in Alabama from nearby Fort Payne made him feel like anything was possible. He attended JSU before moving to Nashville and becoming the pianist for Lee Greenwood’s band. He is one of Nashville’s most sought-after studio musicians, playing on albums and touring with country music’s biggest acts. As a successful solo artist, his 11 albums have earned several Grammy and Dove nominations. He has also been named Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year three times by the Academy of Country Music.
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