Meet The History Teacher That Played A Major Role In Ella Langley Becoming A Country Star
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Ella Langley’s former history teacher couldn’t be prouder of how far she’s come in her music career.
At this point, there’s no denying that Ella Langley is one of the biggest names in country music.
She’s earned 12 ACM Awards, 3 CMA Awards, and many other honors. On top of that, her hit song “Choosin’ Texas” continues to make history.
The track recently spent its 16th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running No.1 song by a female country artist in chart history.
But Ella’s success didn’t happen overnight. It took years of hard work, dedication, and practice. Along the way, she also had support from people who believed in her.
One person she has a lot to thank is her former history teacher, who would join her for early morning guitar lessons before school.
His name is Maury Popwell, and he has spent 22 years working at Ella’s old school, Hooper Academy in Alabama. Maury recently sat down with WSFA12 to reflect on his time teaching Ella and shared how proud he is to see everything she’s accomplished.
Ella Langley’s History Teacher Says She’s Like Family
Ella and Maury quickly bonded because they had a lot in common, especially their love for music.
“We got to the point where she would bring her guitar on a Friday morning and we would play before school,” Maury told the outlet.
Maury would bring his 12-string guitar, and he says Ella fell in love with the way it sounded. It inspired her music to this day.
Years later, Ella’s goal of becoming a musician led her to Nashville. She dropped out of college and was moving her life to Music City to chase her dreams.
When Maury heard that she was leaving, he knew he needed to see her one more time.
“When I found out she was going to Nashville, I called her right before school started and I told her come by the school today and she did,” he said. “I gave her that guitar. So she took it with her.”
After all this time, Ella and Maury have stayed in touch and remain close. According to WSFA12, Maury has even joined Ella on stage before during one of her shows in Alabama.
He also jokes that he was “the original Ella Fella.”
For those who may not know, “Ella Fella” has become a popular nickname for Ella’s male fans.
“It affects me like she is my grandchild,” Maury says about Ella’s success. “I’ve caught myself with a tear in my eye watching her go up and receive these awards. It’s like she’s part of my family. And she is.”
He added, “Still feel like I played a small, small part,” he said. “And I hope she remembers that. I will. I’ll remember it.”
