Country Music Performer Jon Langston Returns to Present Concert at GWU

Fundraising Event Will be on Sept. 18 After GWU Football Game

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Since leaving the campus of Gardner-Webb University seven years ago, Jon Langston, a native of Loganville, Ga., has played sold out shows across the country and logged over 500 million streams. On Sept. 18, Langston is returning to perform at GWU, the place where he wrote “Forever Girl,” the song that launched his career.

The concert in the Paul Porter Arena of the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center is a fundraiser for GWU. It begins at 9 p.m. after the football game between the Runnin’ Bulldogs and the Lincoln Lions of Pennsylvania. Tickets are $25, with GWU students admitted free with ID.

“I’ve been wanting to come back to Gardner-Webb for a long time. So many great memories in the small town of Boiling Springs,” Langston reflected. “I got to play Division I college football there, I met some of my best friends in the world there, and that’s also where my music career started. I remember writing “Forever Girl” on the front porch of a small house where I lived with some buddies off Patrick Avenue. I’ve always wanted to come back and put on a free show for the students and give back to the school that gave me so much. We’ve been working on this for a long time, and I’m so thankful it has finally worked out. Huge thanks to Coach (Tre) Lamb, Dr. (William) Downs and the whole GWU Administration staff to allow us to come back to put on a concert for the school. Sko Dawgs!”

Langston started playing the guitar in the eighth grade, but put his guitar down to play football. He was recruited by Gardner-Webb in 2009 but after several concussions, doctors advised him to stop playing football in 2013. He picked up the guitar again and started writing songs, sometimes during class. In an interview that year, Langston explained why: “If I’m sitting there and I think of a great idea for a song I’ve got to get it down because if I go back to it later, I’ll forget what I was thinking about earlier.”

While at Gardner-Webb, Langston took part in open mic nights at the local coffee shop, where he utilized feedback from the audience to make adjustments on new songs. Eventually he posted audio tracks on YouTube of three original songs, “Forever Girl,” “Oklahoma,” and “Young & Reckless.” Within days of the release, he had several thousand views and the songs were available on iTunes.

From that first release, Langston gained recognition and popularity. He opened for Luke Bryan on his Farm Tour in 2017, which was a full circle moment having attended as a spectator of the Farm Tour only a few years before in Athens, Ga. He was invited to perform on the tour again in 2018 and joined Luke in support of his Sunset Repeat Tour in 2019. Langston signed a publishing deal with Sony ATV, management with KP Entertainment, and is the first artist signed under Luke Bryan’s new Label 32 Bridge Entertainment with EMI Records Nashville. His debut major label single, “When It Comes To Loving You,” reached No. 1 on the all-genre iTunes Chart. His single, “Now You Know,” reached the Top 30 on the radio charts. Langston’s current release, “Try Missing You,” is his most personal song yet, where he sings about the struggle of life on the road. Listen to it here.

Tickets are available in advance online and will also be sold at the door.

Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 48 hours prior to the event. Please call 704-406-2155 or email [email protected] with your request.

Located in the North Carolina foothills, Gardner-Webb University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university. Gardner-Webb emphasizes a strong student-centered experience and rigorous academics to prepare students to become effective leaders within the global community. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.