Norsworthy to Perform ‘Home of the Lions’ at NCJAA Championship Game

Country artist Derek Norsworthy of Escatawpa will perform his original song “Home of the Lions” at halftime of the Mississippi Bowl Sunday. The song was written for East Mississippi Community College, which takes on Iowa Western Community College for the NJCAA National Football Championship at the Mississippi Bowl. Kickoff is 2 p.m. CD copies of the song will be available for purchase at the game.

BILOXI, Miss. (Press Release) — This Sunday, East Mississippi Community College and country artist Derek Norsworthy will turn the Mississippi Bowl in Biloxi into the “Home of the Lions” during the NJCAA National Football Championship game.

Top-ranked EMCC will travel from Scooba to Biloxi Indian Stadium to face No. 2 Iowa Western Community College for the community college football championship. Kickoff is 2 p.m.

But at halftime, Norsworthy will pay homage to Scooba with his original song “Home of the Lions,” with help from EMCC’s Mighty Lion Band. Norsworthy, an Escatawpa native, will have his entire band in attendance and feature EMCC band director and Moss Point native Steve Stringer on guitar.
The Mighty Lion Band, which has marched in major events such as the Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, Pa., will take the field immediately following “Home of the Lions.”

“I couldn’t be more proud to have a song associated with such a prestigious school and I can’t wait to play it live for all the Lions fans at the title game,” said Norsworthy.

The rollicking country tune came about when Jackson entertainment attorney Mike Frascogna, a frequent EMCC collaborator, mentioned to Norsworthy that EMCC was in the market for some original music to use at athletic and school events.

“We always try to do things that set us apart from others and we’re mindful of establishing our identity,” said EMCC President Dr. Rick Young about commissioning the song.

“This song is another way to rally our Lion family. And it’s amazing how well Derek, a Mississippi guy, connected to who we are through his lyrics. He was able to, in a very short period of time, capture the essence of our efforts to be the best community college in the nation.”

Dr. Young said that Norsworthy’s song – and a pair of hip hop songs also commissioned by EMCC through an artist of Frascogna’s – bring positive attention to Mississippi’s community college system, just like the Lion football team’s success. EMCC is currently the defending NJCAA national football champion and has won two of the last three national titles in football. And the Lions won their 2013 crown at the Mississippi Bowl.

Norsworthy, who graduated from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s nursing program, jumped at the chance to make a song for EMCC.

“I had been through Scooba before, which turned into some of the content for the song, and I got to digging around the athletic website and the school website,” Norsworthy said.

“I looked at EMCC’s accomplishments and foundations and absorbed those and reflected on my past experiences with athletics and what you’d want to hear at an athletic event. Then the song was able to come out organically rather than me just making words rhyme. I was blown away when I heard how well everything sounded when we recorded it and proud that I could embed myself in what EMCC stands for as a school.”

CD copies of “Home of the Lions” will be available for purchase at the Mississippi Bowl and afterward at www.emccbookstore.com.