While Murray State is one of the few campuses that does not host a “dead week” the week before finals, the Campus Activities Board is sponsoring a way for students to break away from the stress, if only for one night.

Tuesday night in Lovett Auditorium students and community members will have the opportunity to see one of country music’s upcoming stars, Chase Rice for free.

“The concert is free for everyone,” said Matthew Mauschbaugh, CAB Concerts Chair. “Our job here at Campus Activities Board is to provide fun, free things for Murray State University students and we want to be more involved in the community.”

Rice should be a familiar face to country music listeners as his single “Ready Set Roll” took the country music charts by storm in October. His six-single EP under the same name peaked at No. 1 on the iTunes Country Music Album charts.

Rice also gained clout in the music industry for having been one of the co-writers of Florida Georgia Line’s hit song “Cruise.”

Viewers of the television show “Survivor” might recognize the blond, country crooner from the season that aired from Nicaragua in 2010.

“We have not had Chase here before, and it’s hard to predict if a certain artist will be back or not,” Mauschbaugh said. “We did have Florida Georgia Line come back and perform at CFSB recently (after their Lovett performance in 2012).”

Not only will students and community members have the chance to see Rice on stage at Lovett – they will also see Brandon Lay, a singer/songwriter from Jackson, Tenn., as his opening act.

CAB is offering a special meet and greet opportunity for Murray State students only. Students interested in going backstage before the concert and getting some face time with the country star are encouraged to contact Mauschbaugh via email. There are only 20 spots available. CAB will also hold contests over social media to receive a poster signed by Rice.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Lovett Auditorium and doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

“Students should be excited about Chase Rice because he provides such a fun, interactive concert for students and (he) is a great guy,” Mauschbaugh said. “I have met him before and have seen him perform and he puts on a great show. His songs are very fun and energetic and are relatable to a lot of people of all ages and demographics.”

Story by Breanna Sill, Assistant Features Editor