Ella Langley Honors Her High-School Teacher With a Signed Guitar
"It's like she's part of my family," her former teacher at Hooper Academy in Alabama told a local news outlet.
Ella Langley, the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, honored her high-school teacher, Maury Popwell, also known as "Coach Pop," by presenting him with a signed guitar during a headlining show. Coach Pop, a history teacher who taught Langley for decades, had a profound impact on her passion for music. He encouraged Langley's musical pursuits, even though she was initially hesitant about her skills.
The two shared a love for music and horses, and Langley would often bring her guitar to school to play, while Coach Pop brought his 12-string guitar. After learning that Langley would be in Nashville, Coach Pop invited her to visit the school and presented her with a guitar, which she took with her. Langley has achieved remarkable success, with her song "Choosin’ Texas" holding the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 for 20 weeks.
She has received numerous awards, including seven trophies at the 2026 ACM Awards, setting a record for the most wins in a single year by a single artist.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
