CMA Foundation Partners With Hit Songwriters To Surprise Students In Kansas

CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank Performance Featuring Bradbery, Galyon and Weisband Held at Wichita’s Crown Uptown Theatre Feb. 20

This week, the CMA Foundation partnered with award-winning songwriters Nicolle Galyon and Emily Weisband and Country artist Danielle Bradbery to visit schools and surprise students and teachers throughout Kansas. The critically acclaimed CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank also hosted a show Tuesday evening, Feb. 20, at Wichita’s Crown Uptown Theatre featuring all three songwriters.

“Less than a year ago I met some great music education advocates during a Capitol Hill visit,” said Tiffany Kerns, CMA Director of Community Outreach. “I learned about the incredible work happening throughout the state of Kansas to support thriving music programs. As a leader in music education funding, it is important to learn from these programs so we can continue to share best practices in the field while also celebrating impactful teachers, school leaders and communities. We’ve met dozens of incredible and passionate music teachers this week throughout Kansas, all of whom are preparing our future generation with the skills needed to be successful in life.”

Tuesday afternoon the group visited Wichita East High School during a music teacher in-service day. Led by Galyon, the three women conducted an interactive songwriting workshop with more than 120 area music teachers to empower them with new, collaborative skills to use in their classrooms.

Following the workshop, Bradbery, Galyon and Weisband took centerstage at Wichita’s Crown Uptown Theatre for a special CMA Songwriters Series show presented by U.S. Bank. Galyon hosted the round and the three songwriters performed their works including “We Were Us,” “Sway,” “God Made Girls,” and “Gettin’ In The Way” to a packed crowd of fans and Kansas-area teachers they worked with earlier that afternoon. See the full set list below.

“All The Pretty Girls” – Galyon (Recorded by Kenny Chesney)
“Boy” – Galyon (Recorded by Lee Brice)
“Can’t Stay Mad” – Bradbery
“Consequences” – Galyon and Weisband (Recorded by Camila Cabello)
“Female” –Galyon (Recorded by Keith Urban)
“Gettin’ In The Way” – Weisband (Recorded by Keith Urban)
“God Made Girls” – Galyon (Recorded by RaeLynn)
“Human Diary” – Weisband (Recorded by Bradbery)
“Same Heart” – Weisband (Recorded by Keith Urban)
“Sway” – Bradbery and Weisband (Recorded by Bradbery)
“Tequila” – Galyon (Recorded by Dan + Shay)
“The Apple” – Galyon and Weisband (Recorded by RaeLynn)
“Thy Will” – Weisband (Recorded by Hillary Scott & the Scott Family)
“We Were Us” – Galyon (Recorded by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert)
“What Are We Doing” – Bradbery and Weisband (Recorded by Bradbery)
“Worth It” – Bradbery

Kansas school visits continued Wednesday when Galyon and Bradbery surprised students at Galyon’s alma mater Sterling High School to announce several donations to the school’s music program – nine guitars gifted by a donor, along with a drum kit and baby grand piano provided by the CMA Foundation. Galyon also unveiled a brand-new scholarship she is funding in partnership with the Wichita Community Foundation – the Autobiography Scholarship – which will be awarded to a deserving Sterling High School senior beginning this year.

The events continued Thursday following a performance by Galyon at the Kansas Music Education Association (KMEA) Conference in Wichita. Both Galyon and Bradbery met with KMEA Board members and all-state students prior to a songwriting session with teachers led by Galyon.

Festivities concluded Thursday evening at the KMEA President’s Concert during which the CMA Foundation-funded Salina South Middle School guitar class of Salina, Kansas performed under the direction of 2017 CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Matt Gerry.

Emily Weisband, Danielle Bradbery and Nicolle Galyon watch as music teacher Molly Neeley from Bostic Elementary in Wichita, Kansas performs a song written at a workshop hosted by the CMA Foundation Tuesday, Feb. 20 at Wichita East High School. Photo Credit: Amanda Eckard/CMA Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband and Danielle Bradbery perform Tuesday, Feb. 20 at CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank at Wichita’s Crown Uptown Theatre. Photo Credit: Amanda Eckard/CMA Nicolle Galyon, Danielle Bradbery and Emily Weisband gather prior to their performance Tuesday, Feb. 20 at CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank at Wichita’s Crown Uptown Theatre. Photo Credit: Amanda Eckard/CMA