Morgan Wallen Returns To Gibbs High School For Surprise Hometown Concert
Wallen teamed up with Spotify for the intimate pop-up event.
Morgan Wallen at Gibbs High School; Photo Courtesy of HAPPY MONDAY/Spotify
On the eve of the release of his highly anticipated new album, One Thing At A Time, Morgan Wallen returned to his alma mater, Gibbs High School, for a surprise pop up concert for members of the senior class, faculty, and baseball team.
The concert was a collaboration between Wallen and Spotify, who transformed the Gibbs High School baseball field into a concert venue for one night only. The surprise event was announced by Wallen himself earlier in the day during a seniors-only assembly in the high school auditorium.
Excitement penetrated the air as the stadium lights dimmed and the stage light up in colorful lights. With a smile on his face, Wallen emerged from side stage and took a seat at a piano and welcomed fans to the show.
“This is so cool man, I really appreciate y’all being here. There’s a lot of special people here for me tonight. I got my family. I got my little boy. I got people from [Gibbs High School]. I got Coach Davis. Thank you coach for letting me use the field. I guess I’m going to have to pay to get them a new one after this,” Wallen laughed.
He admitted that his return to Gibbs was emotional for him and went on to share his gratitude for the opportunity to return to the field he once played on.
“Man, there’s a lot of different emotions for me, you know, coming back. I graduated from here in 2011 [and] I love this place. I came back here today and just felt so many different feelings that I didn’t know I was going to feel,” he shared. “At one point me, my dad and my son were just out on the field and it just kind of make sense. I’m really proud to be here and I’m proud to be from here. I’ll always hold this place near and dear to my heart.”
Wallen then kicked off the show with a performance of his chart-topping hit “Sand In My Boots.”
The intimate concert event allowed fans to hear the first-ever live performances of several new tracks, including “Born With A Beer In My Hand,” “I Wrote The Book,” “Keith Whitley,” “Me + All Your Reasons,” “Dying Man,” “Whiskey Friends,” “Sunrise,” and “Last Night.”
In the midst of his hour-long set, Wallen welcomed Gibbs High School Principal, Jason Webster, to the stage and presented a $35,000 donation to the school on behalf of The Morgan Wallen Foundation.
“I started the Morgan Wallen Foundation about a year ago – It combines my love of sports and music. Without those two things I don’t know where I’d be, I don’t know what my life would look like. I know it would look a lot different, so that’s what I’m going to try to do – give back to those two areas, as well as communities in need. That’s our focus.” Wallen said.
“We wanted to say thank you tonight and help you out with a couple things, so we wrote a $35,000 check,” he continued. “It’s going to go towards instruments for the choral department, instruments for the band department and then for baseball – a new field cart – so we can help get this field back in shape after y’all trampled on it tonight.”
Wallen had fans singing along with performances of “You Proof,” “Chasing You,” and “The Way I Talk.” His performance of “Thought You Should Know,” which currently sits atop the Billboard Country Airplay Chart for the third consecutive week, was especially touching as his mom was in the crowd to witness the touching moment between him and his fans.
The emotional homecoming concert showcased Wallen’s love and appreciation for his roots and proved that despite his fame, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
In just a few short weeks, the superstar will embark on a massive headlining One Night At A Time World Tour, where he will visit 30 stadiums on the 63-show trek, but none will beat his performance at Gibbs High School’s Steve Hunley Field.
“I’m playing a lot of stadiums this year, but it’s gonna be hard to top this stadium right here.”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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