Ella Langley Gives Back to the Teacher Who Once Gave Her His Guitar

For Ella Langley, one of the most meaningful gifts of her career came years before she became a country star. It was a 12-string guitar handed to her by a teacher who believed in her enough to help her take the first step toward Nashville.

Now, Langley has returned the favor.

When the Alabama native came home for two sold-out shows at Auburn University on August 28 and 29, 2026, she made time for Maury Popwell, the former teacher known to generations of students as Coach Pop. Backstage, she surprised him with a signed guitar of his own, creating a fitting full-circle moment between the teacher who encouraged her musical ambitions and the artist she eventually became.

The Teacher Who Helped Shape Langley’s Musical Journey

Langley grew up in Hope Hull, Alabama, where she attended Hooper Academy. Popwell spent 22 years teaching at the school and has been an educator for 57 years in total. During Langley’s time there, the two discovered a shared passion for music, along with their mutual love of horses.

Their connection eventually turned into a Friday morning tradition.

Before classes began, Langley and Coach Pop would get together to play guitar. Popwell brought his 12-string guitar, and the young musician quickly became fascinated by its sound.

“We got to the point where she would bring her guitar on a Friday morning and we would play before school,” Popwell told WSFA.

The sessions became an important part of Langley’s early musical development. When she eventually decided to leave Alabama and move to Nashville to pursue country music, Popwell wanted to give her something that could go with her.

He gave her the guitar she had admired during those morning sessions.

“When I found out she was going to Nashville, I called her right before school started and I told her come by the school today and she did,” Popwell said. “I gave her that guitar. So she took it with her.”

Langley moved to Nashville in 2019, beginning the next chapter of the journey that would eventually turn her into one of country music’s biggest emerging stars.

Coach Pop Never Stopped Cheering Her On

Years after Langley left Alabama, Popwell continued following her career from home. He has watched her rise from a former student with big ambitions to an award-winning country artist, and he has always maintained that he believed she could make it.

For Popwell, watching Langley’s success has become deeply personal.

“It affects me like she is my grandchild,” he said. “I’ve caught myself with a tear in my eye watching her go up and receive these awards. It’s like she’s part of my family. And she is.”

The two have remained connected over the years. Langley has even brought her former teacher into the spotlight during her career, including inviting him onstage during a show in Birmingham.

Langley Returns the Favor

That long history made their reunion at Auburn especially meaningful.

During her two sold-out performances at Neville Arena, Langley invited Coach Pop to the shows and arranged for him to come backstage. Her gift was a guitar, echoing the gesture he made when she was preparing to leave for Nashville.

According to Popwell’s granddaughter, Caitlyn, Langley sent her grandfather tickets before surprising him backstage. Photos from the reunion show the pair together, with Coach Pop wearing a “Choosin’ Auburn” hat and an “Ella’s Fella’s” T-shirt while holding the guitar Langley gave him.

The guitar was from Langley’s Dandelion era and featured her personal message and signature. Another account of the reunion reported that Langley wrote, “Love you Coach Pop!!” on the instrument.

Caitlyn shared her reaction to the surprise on social media, explaining how much the moment meant to her family.

“I love this so much, Ella sent my pop tickets to come see her. He believed in her from the start and even gave her his guitar.. well she gave him one and more 💕💕 thank you Ella for a night he will never forget,” she wrote.

A Story That Came Full Circle

There is something especially fitting about the exchange.

Years ago, Coach Pop watched a young Langley discover the sound of his 12-string guitar and then trusted her enough to send that instrument with her when she left for Nashville. He believed in her before the awards, sold-out shows and chart success.

Now, with Langley performing sold-out concerts at Auburn, she has given him a guitar of his own as a thank-you for the role he played at the beginning of her journey.

For Popwell, the gift is another reminder of the former student he has continued to support. For Langley, it was a chance to honor someone who helped nurture her love of music when her career was still only a dream.

From early Friday mornings at Hooper Academy in Hope Hull to backstage at sold-out Auburn shows, the guitar has remained a thread connecting the two chapters of their story.