{
  "id": 4897593,
  "title": "Ella Langley Honors Her High-School Teacher With a Signed Guitar",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/ella-langley-honors-her-high-school-teacher-with-a-signed-guitar",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-01T16:56:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/country/ella-langley-honors-high-school-teacher-signed-guitar-1236329944/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "\"It's like she's part of my family,\" her former teacher at Hooper Academy in Alabama told a local news outlet.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ella Langley presents signed guitar to high-school teacher Maury Popwell.",
    "Coach Pop, history teacher, inspired Langley's music passion.",
    "Langley's \"Choosin’ Texas\" holds No. 1 spot on Hot 100 for 20 weeks."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}