High school music educator Brenda Gregory was honored by her former student, country music singer Chris Young, at the 57th Annual Country Music Awards on Wed., Nov. 8, 2023. Photo credit: Siegel High School 

Many fans of country music enjoyed the broadcast on the 57th Annual Country Music Awards (CMA) on Wed., Nov. 8, 2023. Among those fans were many educators, and they must have been delighted when Chris Young, a Grammy-nominated and CMA winner country music singer, paid a special tribute to his high school music teacher, Brenda Gregory.

Brenda currently teaches at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but she was teaching at Murfreesboro’s Oakland High School when Young was her student. She cast him in the role of Riff in the musical West Side Story when he was just a freshman. Before he completed his high school years, Young was also cast in the Kevin Bacon role in Footloose at the Arts Center of Cannon County and as Inspector Javert in Les Miserables.

Although humble, Brenda understands the important role that music educators play in the lives of their students. “Music teachers have the ability to help students find themselves,” she declared. And Young does not underestimate Brenda’s influence. “Some people have trouble encouraging someone in the right way,” he said. “She walked a fine line, stern when you needed it and a pat on the back when you needed it,” he recalled.

As part of his tribute, Young presented Brenda with a brand new Chevy Trax. After honoring her, the CMA Award winner also paid tribute to music teachers all over the country. “Let’s hear it for all of our music educators,” Young encouraged as Brenda and the star-studded crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena cheered.

Brenda is a native of Columbia, Tennessee. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music at MTSU.  She has served on the faculty of the Governor’s School of the Arts, and she has been recognized five times as an Outstanding Teacher of the Arts . She was named Tennessee Arts Teacher of the Year in 2010. She holds professional memberships in ACDA, MTVA, MENC, and REA.