NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (August 31, 2015) – He sings about his love for small-towns, and
it’s clear those small towns love him back. With multiple No. 1
chart-toppers and several national tours under his belt, country
superstar and “Small Town U.S.A.” hit-maker Justin Moore has never
forgotten where he came from. Last weekend, the Poyen, Arkansas native
was honored with the prestigious “Arkansas Traveler Award” from his home
state, recognizing the love and support he displays for the state he
calls home.
Pictured to the right, Moore was presented with the award by Arkansas
Governor, Asa Hutchinson, during a hometown celebration in Poyen last
weekend.
To say Moore has a love for Arkansas is an understatement. One simple
Internet search will spawn countless records of Moore expressing
admiration for his home state and their many sports teams, especially
the Razorbacks. Moore’s pride in Arkansas and rural life have made an
impact on his music, especially his first No. 1 hit “Small Town USA,”
which he co-wrote while feeling homesick after moving to Nashville. In
2014, Moore and his family moved back to Arkansas, where they still
reside today.
The Arkansas General Assembly created the “Arkansas Traveler
Certificate” in 1941, to honor both out-of-state visitors and Arkansas
natives who have a love and appreciation for the so-called “Natural
State.” The name for the award was spawned by the 1800’s William Cumming
tune, “The Arkansas Traveller and Rackinsac Waltz” – which inspired one
of the most recorded songs in American history, “Arkansas Traveler.”
Since, the term has been used in all facets of Arkansas life including: a
minor league baseball team followed by the professional team, the
Arkansas Travelers, a nationally distributed humor magazine, and the
inspiration behind many works of art and books.
Catch Justin out on the road in the following upcoming cities as part of Brad Paisley’s Crushin’ It World Tour:
September 11 – Madera, CA | Madera District Fair
September 12 – Las Vegas, NV | Downtown Las Vegas Events Center
September 13 – Pomona, CA | LA County Fair
September 17 – Albuquerque, NM | Isleta Amphitheater
September 18 – Denver, CO | Pepsi Center
September 19 – Salt Lake City, UT | USANA Amphitheatre
September 25 – Mansfield, MA | Xfinity Center
September 27 – Virginia Beach, VA | Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
October 2 – Tampa, FL | MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 3 – West Palm Beach, FL | Cruzan Amphitheatre
Between tour dates, Justin is currently in the studio recording new music.
Photo by: Kristin Barlowe