One of the things I love about living in Nashville is the gift of being able to listen to live music pretty much any time of the day or night. It’s everywhere. We are, after all, Music City. April 24 was one of those inspiring musical nights that touched my heart and reminded me how great it is to work for a Company that LUVs to give back to the communities it serves.
Local Nashville students and some amazing songwriters gathered to explore what they’re truly passionate about - music. Nashville, the city that’s famous for the beautiful melodies it produces, set the stage perfectly for this special evening. Together, the students and songwriters gave an inspiring performance as students told their stories through the art of song. This remarkable show was part of Words & Music, one of the many impactful educational programs hosted by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
“It all begins with a song” is a line heard a lot in Nashville. To help these students begin their songs, they start with fantastic teachers who engage them in the process of lyric writing and the wonderfully talented professional songwriting community that works to inspire these students to share their feelings through music. It is a meaningful collaboration that will influence these students for the rest of their lives.
Words & Music—a truly unique program—gives students the opportunity to connect with Nashville’s professional songwriting community. Using curriculum developed by the museum, Tennessee teachers taught creative thinking and writing skills to nearly 10,000 students and witnessed nearly 5,000 songs being written by some incredibly talented students.
And talk about creative! As I was reading the song titles and excerpts from the lyrics in the program before the show begin, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. Song titles like Pretzel Pete, I Hate Homework, Barn Rat and Leaving London immediately peaked my curiosity. Every single performance sparked a different emotion for not only me, but the audience of parents, teachers and museum staff.
Dreams
Gracie Fleser, Addy, Mitchell, and Kaitlyn Sneed—Songwriter Tammy Vice
Oh I may be just a girl,
but I can take on this big world.
Just stick around and you will see,
The dream light in me.
Strong
Sophie Bailey—Songwriter Jason Duke
You can be a small, small person,
Living in a big, big world.
But all you have to be
To keep you hanging on is strong.
A Baker’s Gift
Lily Unick—Songwriter Gary Michael Smith
Sometimes life is hard,
You want it to end.
But keep your eyes wide and open and your heart open,
And you will always find a friend.
As you can see, the lyrics showcased the breadth, depth and quality of the student compositions. It was hard to pick a favorite, but I have to say Island Time, written by Emma Farley and her Songwriter Mentors Christy McDonald and Erick Hedrick inspired me to start thinking about my next island vacation. For that, it was my favorite, and I’d like to share the performance with you in hopes that it can inspire you start planning your next vacation!
It was truly an evening of first-rate entertainment!
Southwest Airlines understands the importance of education in the communities we serve and we are proud to support this creative program that allows students to bring their wonderful ideas to life. We are proud to partner with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to give students the freedom to learn and create!
