A rising guitar-wielding duo known as Striking Matches sang the national anthem Sept. 2 at MTSU’s much-anticipated home opener game for Blue Raider football with the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Sarah Zimmerman and Justin Davis, who were named by iTunes among its best selections of 2012 and have been featured on the “Nashville” TV series, are known for a raw and rootsy sound with ties to country, rock and blues.

The Nashville act visited campus Wednesday, Aug. 30, to tour the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center at the invitation of retired Lt. Gen. Keith M. Huber, MTSU’s senior adviser for veterans and leadership initiatives. Huber helped secure Striking Matches to sing the anthem at the game.

Sarah Zimmermann, left, and Justin Davis of the musical duo known as Striking Matches pause for a photo Wednesday, Aug. 30, while visiting the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center in Keathley University Center. The duo will sing the national anthem at the Sept. 2 Blue Raider football game vs. Vanderbilt at Floyd Stadium. (Photo submitted)

Striking Matches is the debut artist on the newly revived I.R.S. Nashville label and has toured with Train, Vince Gill, Ashley Monroe and Hunter Hayes.

Famed producer T Bone Burnett worked on the duo’s debut album, which includes the songs “Hanging on a Lie,” “Nothing But the Silence,” “Trouble Is As Trouble Does,” “Make a Liar Out of Me” and “Never Gonna Love Again.”

“We haven’t written our best song yet,” Davis said in an interview posted on the duo’s website. “We are so proud and grateful for everything so far, especially this record, and the sky is the limit for us. Creatively, we started writing songs while we were in the studio and especially when we finished. There was no resting. We are still hungry.”

Added Zimmerman, “We have more to say and we want to be heard.”

— Andrew Oppmann (andrew.oppmann@mtsu.edu)