Song co-written by MTSU’s Blackmon recorded by former ‘The Voice’ winner Bryce Leatherwood

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A song written by Middle Tennessee State University faculty member Odie Blackmon has been recorded by Bryce Leatherwood, a recent winner of “The Voice” television singing competition series.

The song, “Cheap Cologne,” will be on Leatherwood’s upcoming album which is set to be released later this fall.

Odie-Blackmon-Bryce-Leatherwood-Josie-Blackmon 2 — Odie Blackmon, left, associate professor of commercial songwriting at Middle Tennessee State University, and his daughter, Josie Blackmon, right, pose for a photo with 2022 “The Voice” winner Bryce Leatherwood at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 15, 2024. Leatherwood has recorded a song co-written by Blackmon for the singer’s upcoming album. (Photo submitted)

“It’s exciting to discover new artists and get to be part of their journey,” said Blackmon, associate professor of commercial songwriting in the Department of Recording Industry within the College of Media and Entertainment.

Blackmon, who co-wrote the song with Jimmy Ritchey and Kevin Denney, said his grandfather’s cologne inspired the song.

“I’m not a big cologne person, and that comes from years of waiting tables,” Blackmon admitted. “My grandfather always wore Old Spice, and the idea of this song is a lover smelling like cigarettes and cologne, which leads to the imagery of close dancing in a country bar. The song was centered around that idea and hook, ‘She don’t smoke and smell like cheap cologne.’”

Leatherwood won Season 22 of the hit NBC television show “The Voice” in December 2022 and has been working on launching his country music career ever since.

He made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, Sept. 15, where Blackmon got to thank him backstage for recording “Cheap Cologne.”

“I always enjoy thanking someone for recording my song,” Blackmon said. “It means a lot; it’s in an investment in their career. It’s always cool to see a song come to life.”

Blackmon is currently writing songs with country artist Gary Allen for his upcoming album.

Blackmon’s impact on MTSU’s Songwriting program

A Grammy-nominated songwriter, Blackmon earned his bachelor’s degree from MTSU’s Recording Industry Department, and then returned to his alma mater to teach in 2014.

Since then, he has doubled the enrollment in the Commercial Songwriting program, recruited well-known adjunct professors and created courses.

He also oversaw the planning and building of the Songwriting Center located in the Miller Education Center and helped raise $50,000 for the project. The center opened in 2023 and includes state-of-the-art songwriting classrooms, an atrium for live performances, and a collaborative workspace.

***Recording Industry faculty Odie Blackmon in the new Songwriting Center in the Miller Education Center.***

“I think where I bring value is I have lived these students’ dreams. I know what it’s like to be an MTSU student and want to get into the music business and have success. I was one of those students sitting in those classrooms trying to figure it out. That’s why I love it so much and have such a heart for our students. I was like them trying to figure out how to do it, and that’s really the beautiful part of my job,” Blackmon said.  

His social media accounts are filled with photos of current and former students praising their success, photos from former students at their album release parties and videos of Nashville billboards featuring the likes of former student and American Idol contestant HunterGirl, the stage name for Hunter Wolkonowski.

MTSU’s Commercial Songwriting concentration offers instruction designed for students interested in a career in the music industry like arrangers, artists, musicians, producers, singers, songwriters, publishers and more.

— DeAnn Hays (deann.hays@mtsu.edu)