More than 35 events are planned for Homecoming Week<\/a>, which begins Monday, Sept. 25, with the University Activities Board’s Celebrate the 50 event, and wraps up Sunday, Oct. 1, with the Student Affairs recognition brunch.<\/p>\n Homecoming Week is the highlight of Wright State’s 50th anniversary celebration<\/a>. Originally founded as a branch campus of The Ohio State University and Miami University, Wright State became an independent institution in 1967.<\/p>\n Manson studied business management at Wright State before he decided to pursue his music career full-time. Today, he writes songs in Nashville and tours extensively, playing 150 shows a year nationwide.<\/p>\n His latest EP, “Friday Nighters,” was released in March and features \u201c3 Wishes\u201d and the title track.<\/p>\n Clark Manson was attending Wright State when his music career took off and now he writes songs in Nashville and tours extensively.<\/p><\/div>\n Manson has always loved music. As a child, he enjoyed listening to music, and as a toddler memorized the lyrics of \u201cAchy Breaky Heart.\u201d His parents began to take him to every musical event they could.<\/p>\n When he was 5, his parents took him to see George Strait. The experience was powerful for him. \u201cEver since then, I wanted to be George Strait,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n His musical journey continued when his parents gave him a guitar when he was 9.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they thought I\u2019d play for a while then put it down, but I didn\u2019t,\u201d he said. \u201cI taught myself to play, and by the time I was 12, I could play ‘Knockin\u2019 on Heaven\u2019s Door,’ and those first three-chord songs people learn.\u201d<\/p>\n He was attending Wright State when his music career took off. He performed on campus, building a fan base and forming a band with his friend Nick Christian.<\/p>\n Soon, Manson and Christian were performing all over Ohio. This was the kick Manson needed to move to Nashville, where he began to write and record professionally.<\/p>\n His first album, “Runnin\u2019 With the Night,” appeared on Billboard\u2019s Top Five Heatseeker Chart for up-and-coming musicians. His EP “I\u2019m On It” was in the Top 10 on iTunes Country. His single \u201cTrack 9\u201d was featured on the Spotify \u201cNew Boots\u201d playlist, Music Row radio stations and Sirius XM The Highway.<\/p>\n After an independent radio station added a few tracks from his “Runnin\u2019 With the Night,” Manson was invited to perform at Country Concert, a music festival in Fort Loramie, Ohio, that Manson attended when he was young. He opened for artists Cole Swindell, Dustin Lynch and Chase Rice.<\/p>\n Manson describes his music as having a summery, feel-good sound.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you hear it, you\u2019re ready to party, you\u2019re ready to do something fun,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wright State alum and emerging country artist Clark Manson will perform at the Homecoming Festival Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m. Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/files\/2017\/09\/clark-manson-2-508x373.jpeg\")
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