@LaGrange - Graduate earns Grammy nominations

David Harris, a 2008 Composition and Music Technologies graduate, has received two Grammy nominations this year for his work with R&B artist H.E.R.

Harris, whose professional name is Swagg R’Celious, is up for Grammys for best album and best R&B album. H.E.R. received five Grammy nominations, including album of the year, best new artist, best R&B song, best R&B album and best R&B performance.

Harris said he’s known H.E.R. (Having Everything Revealed) since she was 13.

“I interned with her management and she signed with RCA about that time,” he said. “She is so talented – she plays five instruments and writes her own material. But she was so young and her label didn’t quite know what to do with her. Her manager and one of my mentors, Jeff Robinson, called me in 2014 and asked me to work as a producer on her first project.”

Harris and H.E.R. went into a studio piano room in New York City and started writing.

“She was changing from a young girl into a woman during that time, so several things changed musically through the process. Her work really evolved.”

In a 2018 article in Interview magazine, H.E.R. credited Harris with her growth as an artist and a person.

“The studio was my safe haven,” she said. “I would talk to Swagg, who’s like my big brother. … We would be in a room with a piano, and I would cry while talking to him and sharing some melodies and chord ideas. … Eventually I had seven songs that completely described exactly what I was going through. That’s ‘H.E.R. Vol. 1’ – the diary and stories of my four years of evolving as a woman.”

Harris said he couldn’t believe it when he heard about the Grammy nominations for him and H.E.R., now 21.

“She got five total,” he said. “I am so proud of her. I knew about all the hard work and sacrifice that had gone into it, and now it was paying off. I couldn’t sleep that night, I was so excited.”

Harris, who lives in Connecticut, said he’s just launched a new label with Richard Gottehrer, and is working with Alex da Kid and his KIDinaKORNER record company as well as singer Shari Marie.

“I’m branching out, developing new artists and working toward having a sustainable career in this business,” he said.

But throughout his career, he looks back on his years at LaGrange College with fondness and gratitude.

“Lee (Johnson, Coordinator of the Digital Creative Media and Film Program and Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Music) and Toni (Anderson, Coordinator of the Music program and Professor of Music) were very influential during my college years,” he said. “When times were bleak and I didn’t know what I was doing, they were always there to encourage me. I still stay in contact with them.”

Meanwhile, Harris is making plans for Feb. 10, Grammy night.

“My wife, Deborah, and I are going to have to get a babysitter for the twins – Logan Arcelious Harris and Ashtyn Marie Harris,” he said. “And then we’ll fly out to Los Angeles. I am so excited!”

LaGrange College alumna named Braves award recipient – LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 18, 2018

Anderson powers Panthers – LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 17, 2018

No links available

Panthers split pair of games during Daytona Shootout – LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 22-23, 2018

LaGrange College finds coach to lead lacrosse program – LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 21, 2018

Panthers bringing in new coach – LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 15-16, 2018

New sports teams set to debut at LaGrange College – LaGrange Daily News, Dec. 15-16, 2018

Panthers secure road win – LaGrange Daily News, Jan. 3, 2019

Men's basketball
Sophomore Julian Cameron had a career-high 26 points to lead the Panthers (7-4, 3-1 USA South) to a 100-95 win at N.C. Wesleyan on Wednesday. LaGrange hosts Berea on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Maryville on Sunday at 3 p.m. in USA South games.

Women’s basketball
The Panthers (5-6, 1-3 USA South) lost 80-57 at Piedmont on Wednesday. Jahpera McEachin led LC with 13 points. The Panthers host Brevard today (Friday) at 6 p.m. and Covenant on Saturday at 4 p.m. in USA South games..

Men’s lacrosse, beach volleyball
LaGrange College is adding beach volleyball and men’s lacrosse to its spring sports teams in 2020. The two additions will give LC a total of 18 intercollegiate teams. Brandon Sewell has been named men’s lacrosse coach, while current volleyball coach Madison Machurek will add beach volleyball to her duties.

Winners in the 2018 Georgia National Association of Singing Teachers student auditions included (left to right) front row, Kaylee King, state finalist, and Gracen Brantley, third place preliminaries, freshmen women musical theatre; Ashlynn Eubanks, state finalist, junior women musical theatre; and Dean Kivotidis, state winner, freshmen men musical theatre; back row, Luke Brown, state finalist freshmen men musical theatre; Joely Peterman, third place preliminaries, sophomore women musical theatre; Chris Brent Davis, state winner, adult men musical theatre; and Kyle Hildebrand, state finalist sophomore men musical theatre and third place preliminaries sophomore men classical. Not pictured is Abigail Young, state winner, junior women musical theatre.

The deadline for registering for intramural volleyball during Jan Term is 6 p.m. Jan. 13. The season’s games will be played during the week of Jan. 14. Register here. For more information, contact Mike White, Intramural Director, at 706-880-8330 or by email at mlwhite@lagrange.edu.

Interim Term courses on campus begin today, while study-away participants prepare for their travels. Students visiting Costa Rica leave today and will return Jan. 19. Other classes will visit Greece (Jan. 9-20), Thailand (Jan. 7-26), Yucatan Peninsula (Jan. 13-21) and the Philippines (Jan. 7-24).

Dr. John Tures, Professor of Political Science, and several of his undergraduate researchers had their article “Does Terrorism Work?” published in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Antonio Express-News, the Houston Chronicle, Phys.org, Public Radio International and several other newspapers and TV stations.  The original article is on The Conversation, which has a link to the full undergraduate research paper, as well as the names of the contributors.