Staff Reports news@times-journal.com
JACKSONVILLE - Jacksonville State University (Jax State) celebrated a momentous occasion on Tuesday with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts, known as The ROC. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to inspire a love of arts in all students and enrich the Jax State campus community, all while honoring the legacy of one of its most distinguished alumni, Randy Owen.
Distinguished guests included Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, Jax State President Dr. Don Killingsworth, the Jax State Board of Trustees, and several local elected officials.
Dr. Killingsworth welcomed the attendees, highlighting the significance of the event. "This occasion signifies the breaking of ground, not only for a state-of-the-art facility, but for the culmination of years of planning, hard work, and dedication to making a dream a reality," said Dr. Killingsworth. "Before those No. 1 hits and a career that landed him in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Mr. Owen was a student here at Jacksonville State. The groundbreaking of the Randy Owen Performing Arts Center is a way to honor Mr. Owen's career and contributions to Jax State and his fans world
wide. It also marks a huge step in our commitment to our current and future students."
The ROC promises to be a beacon of creativity and inspiration for Jax State students and the surrounding community, offering the 1,000-seat Phil and Denise Webb Performance Hall, a recording studio, educational classrooms, a 400-seat recital hall, maker spaces and studios, music technology spaces, a creative collective design space, and event spaces. It will also house the Randy Owen Museum and Archives.
Governor Ivey, whose dedication to the project was instrumental in making the dream a reality, also shared her enthusiasm and support for the project.
She expressed her desire to make the project happen and her affinity for Mr. Owen and what he'd accomplished for his alma mater and the state of Alabama.
"In 2020, I was pleased to join my friends in the Alabama legislature in approving a $15 million grant to help build the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts," said Governor Ivey. "After all that Randy has done for this University, and frankly, for all of Alabama, my getting involved to support this worthy project just felt so right.
“After he spent a lifetime changing the music industry for the better, Randy wanted to give back to his alma mater with a gift of love for performing.
“Randy knows passion flows from these north Alabama hills. They inspired him to become the greatest Alabama-born songwriter and performer since Hank Williams, Sr. Fittingly, the Randy Owen Center will foster a passion for the performing arts among JSU students and many others that will reverberate throughout this region."
Speaker Ledbetter, a friend of Owen and fellow native of DeKalb County, expressed his pride in Owen's achievements and continued support for his community.
"To say I'm proud of Randy would be an understatement," he said. "I'm proud of Randy because he's from my county, and he certainly gives back to that community. But I'm proud of him because he's from the state of Alabama. He doesn't have to be here. He could be anywhere in the world he wants to be. Think about that. But he truly loves his state, and he loves Jacksonville State University."
The man of the hour, an emotional Owen, shared his heartfelt gratitude and hopes for the future.
"Wow. I'm very thankful," he said.
"I hope this building inspires young kids to follow their dreams, not be afraid to do something different, not be ashamed to be different, and not be afraid to step out and say, 'I write songs.' I hope that every first-generation kid who has a dream of doing something different than what all your other family members have done feels encouraged by what's happening today because it's so important."
The University looks forward to the completion of The ROC, which will undoubtedly enrich the cultural landscape of Jacksonville and beyond.