FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 25, 2015) -- Two songwriting sensations will open for the Eli Young Band, as Old Dominion, a seasoned songwriting band, and Kelsea Ballerini, a Country Music Television-proclaimed "New Woman of Country," are set to perform at 6 p.m. March 28 for the Fort Benning Wing-A-Palooza concert at Wetherby Field.
The concert is prize for Fort Benning winning the CONUS Pizza Hut of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Wing Eating contest in 2014.
Although Eli Young Band is headlining the show, the band's drummer, Chris Thompson, said he is a fan of Old Dominion after hearing them play a music festival and is excited to do a show with them.
"It's such a different feeling from a regular fan, for some reason," said Matthew Ramsey, lead singer for Old Dominion. "There's a huge appreciation for (fans) because that's what we're writing music for, but when you have the respect of peers that you can get both of those things, it's an honor, really."
Old Dominion is gaining airplay on country radio, but it's their songwriting for big-name artists that's paved the way for their success.
The band, comprised of lead singer Ramsey, multi-instrumentalist Trevor Rosen, drummer Whit Sellers, bassist Geoff Sprung and lead guitarist Brad Tursi, have written songs for Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban, among others.
"It is nice to be able to have that option and just be able to sit back and listen and decide whether or not we want to hold (a song) or get rid of it," Ramsey said.
With so many songs made huge by big-name artists, Ramsey said it is fun for Old Dominion to play those songs as covers during live events.
"That's the good thing about having written songs, you know a lot of new bands have to play cover songs just to keep the crowd's attention," Ramsey said. "We're lucky that the 'covers' that we play are actually our songs, too."
Just as the Eli Young Band's Chris Thompson is a fan of Old Dominion, Old Dominion's multi-instrumentalist, Rosen, is a fan of Ballerini.
"I've run into her for years and kind of watched her sign her deal and develop, so it's cool to see her doing so well, too, and be on the same show," Rosen said. "We're kind of both in the same boat, really."
Rosen said Nashville is a small town where people kind of graduate together from producers to artists and record labels.
"We've all been kind of toughing it out in Nashville for a long time, so when you start to see your friends and people you know plant these seeds and start to grow, it's pretty cool," he said.
Ballerini said she started writing songs when she was 12 years old, moved to Nashville to pursue her music dreams at 15 and signed a record deal with Black River Entertainment a year ago.
"Honestly, from going from being in the audience at a show to being on stage with them and warming up with them, it's such a huge deal for me," Ballerini said. "I'm a fan of country music and a fan of those artists."
Not uncommon for any 90s child, Ballerini said she grew up listening to pop music. She is from Tennessee, though, so she said her roots are country.
"I was listening to pop music and writing country, but I didn't know what country was, yet," Ballerini said.
She credits the discovery of her niche in the music world to hearing the song Stupid Boy by Keith Urban, as it was the first country song she remembers listening to before determining her writing fit into the genre.
"As a songwriter and as an artist, it's important for me to put out stuff that's real and true and sometimes that means emotions," Ballerini said, referring to the song she considers her "baby" and the title of her new EP (extended play), The First Time.
Both openers said they are excited to be able to play for the military community and hope the audience can leave their stresses behind and enjoy the show.
"We get to go around the country and goof off and do stuff that we love, and they have the hardest job that there is," Ramsey said. "For us to have an opportunity to come play for them just feels like something we should do as much as possible."
The Fort Benning Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation is also a sponsor of the concert.
Wetherby Field is an open-air venue; so guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and arrive early to stake out a good spot.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase, but coolers will not be permitted. Pets are also not allowed.
Guests may be subject to security checks.
For turn-by-turn directions to Wetherby Field, download the free GuideOn smartphone app.
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