Ashley Owens was sitting in the pick-up line in front of her daughter's school when she decided to make a quick video about her love for the band Florida Georgia Line. An Army spouse based in Florida, she had seen a Facebook post from the USO about a biggest fan contest, and she definitely qualifies.
"I just love their hospitality, and their music just brings out so much of life," she told Military.com on Oct. 3. "My husband loves country, a little rap and little rock, and I just love that they mix it up together."
Started as part of the first-ever World's Biggest USO Tour streamed live worldwide from Washington, D.C. in early September, the USO asked megafans to submit videos showing their enthusiasm for Florida Georgia Line.
From those submissions, the organization picked five finalists for a prize pack from the band. But the grand prize winner was to get something even better: a personal shout-out video from band members Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley.
"I love everything about them, everything they do for the community and how they help out. They're just one of the great artists that I keep on iTunes, and I actually buy their music," Owens told Military.com.
Thanks to the USO, this story on Military.com is the first place Owens got to see her personal shout-out video.
USO officials said her submission video was chosen not just because of how much she clearly loves the band, but because of how endearing and heartwarming it was.
Owens, who is originally from Kentucky, hopes her family gets stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in the future so she can easily attend Florida Georgia Line concerts and other shows, such as the Country Music Association (CMA) awards in nearby Nashville, Tennessee.
-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
