True Blue Spotlight

It’s no secret that singer-songwriter Cole Swindell is True Blue. The country music star wears a Georgia Southern baseball cap during live performances, videos and on the cover of his first album. He wears it pretty much everywhere, even pairing it with a tuxedo for the Country Music Awards last November.

“Both of my parents and my brothers are Georgia Southern alums,” said Swindell. “I grew up sliding down the hills at the stadium on cardboard boxes on football game days. I used to want everything in the GS bookstore as a kid.”

Swindell rocketed to stardom in 2013 when his independently released song “Chillin’ It” became a top-5 hit. Before launching his solo career, he wrote a string of hits for other country artists, most notably Luke Bryan, for whom he wrote “Just a Sip,” “Roller Coaster,” “Out Like That,” “I’m in Love with the Girl,” “Love in a College Town,” “Shore Thing,” “Shake the Sand” and “The Sand I Brought to the Beach.” Swindell has also written songs for country music stars Craig Campbell, Thomas Rhett, Scotty McCreery and Florida Georgia Line.

“Now, through a partnership with The Game, I have my own line of apparel being sold in the very same store!” says Swindell. “I wear the GS hat on stage every night for a reason. I’m proud to be an Eagle. GATA.”

Swindell and KPentertainment partnered with Learfield Licensing Partners, a trademark management company specializing in collegiate licensing and branding, and Georgia Southern University’s trademark licensing department to produce the exclusive line of apparel produced by headwear company The Game.

This select offering of branded caps and T-shirts, called the “Hail Southern Collection,” will be sold in stores throughout the Southeast, and a limited number of pieces will also be sold on Swindell’s tour. The line is now available at the University Bookstore as well as many Georgia-area retailers.

“We are so proud of Cole and all he is accomplishing in country music, and we love his passion for his University,” said Connie Palfy, assistant vice president at Georgia Southern. “Cole’s affinity for Georgia Southern shows every time he wears his trademark ‘GS’ hat and we are so pleased that we can expand the brand with the Hail Southern Collection from The Game.” — Doy Cave