trip miller nashville

Tennessee hedge fund leader has interest in buying Rays, per Forbes

• Marc Topkin Times staff

ST. PETERSBURG — Stuart Sternberg still plans on owning the Rays and expects them to be playing in a new Tampa Bay-area stadium for “generations to come.”

But that doesn’t stop potential suitors from seeking other scenarios, or at least talking about them.

Forbes.com , quoting multiple unnamed sources, reported Friday that Trip Miller, founder of Gullane Capital Partners, a Tennessee-based hedge fund , is “trying to put together a group of investors to buy the Tampa Bay Rays for $1.85 billion.”

This is the second report in a month of investors expressing interest in the team.

The Athletic, also quoting anonymous sources, reported in May that Tampa businessman Dan Doyle Jr. was “trying to buy the franchise” and that the team “also is drawing interest from groups that would relocate the club” to a city that would be a potential candidate for an expansion team.

The Rays on Friday declined comment, letting stand Sternberg’s May 21 statement :

“I expect we will build a ballpark in Tampa Bay that will keep the Rays here for generations to come. I also plan on remaining the Rays owner.”

The Forbes story said the Doyle family would have the largest investment in the latest speculated deal, but that Miller, who would put in $200 million, would seek to run the team. Doyle is chairman of Tampa-based DEX Imaging, a longtime Rays sponsor. His father, Dan Sr., was part of the team’s original ownership group led by Vince Naimoli.

Gullane’s offices are in Memphis; though Forbes identified the company as being Nashville-based. Nashville is considered a strong candidate for a team when Major League Baseball decides to expand, but already has a potential ownership group, headed by former big-leaguer Dave Stewart, in place.

Miller, per his Linked In profile, earned an MBA from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business in 2000 after attending the University of Mississippi.

The $1.85 billion price would be an extreme premium; the team in March was valued at $1.25 billion by Forbes. The Mets sold in November 2020 for $2.4 billion; the Royals in 2019 for $1 billion.

Curiously or coincidentally, the Forbes report comes days after Nevada governmental approval for the A’s to relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas, leaving the Rays as the last team with a stadium issue, and the last hurdle before the league could proceed with expansion.

The Rays are in negotiations with St. Petersburg and Pinellas County officials about a plan to build a new stadium as part of a redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site, and they also have maintained talks with Tampa representatives.

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Richard A Miller

Richard A. “Trip” Miller III is the Founder and Managing Partner of Gullane Capital LLC, and the investment partnership, Gullane Capital Partners LLC, which it serves as adviser to. He is actively engaged in investment research, portfolio management, business development and firm administration. Mr. Miller also serves on the Investment Committee for Gullane Capital Partners LLC. Before forming Gullane Capital LLC in 2002, he worked as an Associate in the Investment Banking and Equity Research Groups at Wunderlich Securities in Memphis, Tennessee. While at Wunderlich Securities, he conducted independent research in publicly traded small and microcap businesses while utilizing a value investing philosophy. Prior to his experience at Wunderlich Securities, Mr. Miller worked as a Research and Portfolio Management Assistant for Trusco Capital Management in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Miller graduated in 1998 from the University of Mississippi with a BBA in managerial finance. In 2000, he earned an MBA in finance and security analysis from the University of Florida, where he developed his analytical skills in the Graham-Buffett value investing curriculum.

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Report: Tampa Bay Rays being eyed up by Trip Miller for US$1.85bn takeover

Franchise's principal owner stuart sternberg said to be 'testing the market'..

Getty Images

• Miller plans to be the Rays’ control person and to invest US$200m in cash
• Family of Dan Doyle Jr. will also make a large investment backing Miller’s bid

Trip Miller, the founder of hedge fund Gullane Capital Partners, is putting together a consortium to buy Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Tampa Bay Rays for US$1.85 billion, according to Forbes.

The Rays’ principal owner is Stuart Sternberg, who led a group that acquired the Rays for US$200 million in 2004. Forbes reports that it is currently unclear whether Sternberg, who owns 49 per cent of the team, is looking to sell the franchise, with the investor thought to be testing the market.

According to the outlet, Miller plans to be the control person of the Rays, and would make an investment of US$200 million in cash. The family of Dan Doyle Jr., whose interest in the franchise was first by The Athletic last month, would invest the biggest amount of money as part of the bid.

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While Sternberg has yet to comment on Forbes’ report, he did issue a statement replying to The Athletic’s story last month signaling his intention to keep control of the Rays.

“I expect we will build a ballpark in Tampa Bay that will keep the Rays here for generations to come,” Sternberg said to the Tampa Bay Times. “I also plan on remaining the Rays owner.”

According to Forbes’ latest list of MLB franchise valuations, the Rays are worth US$1.25 billion, ranking them as the 26th most valuable team in the league.

SportsPro says…

The Rays have become one of the most cost-efficient teams in the league, given they currently lead the American League East division ahead of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox despite having one of the lowest payrolls. They also have a lucrative TV rights deal that sees their games air on Bally Sports Sun, with a reported 15-year deal said to be worth US$82 million on average per year.

Yet the franchise is still dogged by issues concerning its ballpark, with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred having previously called for the franchise to find a replacement for their Tropicana Field home. The Rays are currently working towards building a new stadium near their current venue, with the proposed 30,000-seater arena reportedly set to cost more than US$1 billion to construct.

Sternberg also is currently embroiled in a legal battle against some of the team’s minority partners, after they filed a lawsuit claiming he ‘wrongfully and surreptitiously’ transferred legal ownership of the Rays away from the existing partnership structure to a separate entity, resulting in them losing out in monetary benefits.

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Rays valued at $1.85 billion?

June 17, 2023 - According to a Forbes article published Friday, Trip Miller, a Nashville hedge fund manager, is putting an investor group together to buy the Tampa Bay Rays for $1.85 billion. Stuart Sternberg led an ownership group that purchased the team for $200 million in 2004 and has repeatedly denied the Rays are for sale. Forbes valued the Rays at $1.25 billion in March, 25th out of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams.

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Def Leppard, Journey, Steve Miller Band to perform in Nashville in 2024

Presale for tickets starts tuesday, dec. 12..

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Get ready to rock your heart out. In the summer of 2024, Nissan Stadium will have three legendary bands playing for one night only.

Nissan Stadium announced that Def Leppard, Journey and the Steve Miller band will perform on Saturday, July 20 for their Summer Stadium Tour.

Presale for tickets starts Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m.

To register, click here .

Nashville! Journey and Def Leppard announce The Summer Stadium Tour 2024 is coming to Nissan Stadium! 🏟️ Sign up for presale now and get ready to rock all night on Saturday, July 20 with Journey, Def Leppard and Steve Miller Band. 🤘 🎟️: https://t.co/B7a676JqKL pic.twitter.com/As8dVEoJ0W — Nissan Stadium (@NissanStadium) December 7, 2023

Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.

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Your Trip to Nashville: The Complete Guide

TripSavvy / Ivey Redding

There once was a time when travelers planned a visit to Nashville simply to attend a music festival or spend hours in the city's legendary honky tonks listening to the latest up and coming country band. While those activities remain deeply rooted in the local culture, Nashville now has much more to offer travelers as well.

Over the past decade or so, it has become a culinary hub , offering some of the best food found anywhere in the southern U.S. The city also features an array of outdoor green spaces to explore, a thriving art scene, and some of the best local breweries to sample too. Oh yeah, and the music still remains pretty great, offering a mix of genres and big name stars, along with the hottest new talent looking to make it big.

This guide will give you a good overview of what to expect when visiting the Music City, providing you with valuable information that will help you make the most of your stay.

Planning Your Trip

Best Time to Visit : The good news is that the honky tonks are open all year round and live music can be found pretty much every day of the week in Nashville. That said, the city is well known for its hot and humid summers, which can be challenging for visitors to endure. That also happens to be the busiest tourist season too, with larger crowds filling up hotel rooms, restaurants, bars, and other attractions. The shoulder seasons of mid-March through May and late-September through November provide better temperatures and fewer people to contend with. Winters are relatively free of snow and ice, although it can still get quite cold. Just pack a warm jacket and you'll be fine.

Getting Around: Nashville's public transportation system mainly consists of semi-reliable bus service. The purple WeGo buses can be found throughout the city and can get you to where you want to go provided you're not in a hurry. The Music City Transit Tracker app can help make it easier to catch the bus, but honestly using the transit directions option in your favorite maps app (Apple Maps or Google Maps) is just as good, if not better. Nashville is a driving city however, so most visitors bring a vehicle, rent a car, or use ride sharing apps. Electric scooters are common throughout the busier parts of the city as well and are a popular option for getting around.

Check out our guide to Nashville's public transportation for more info on the MTA bus system.

Travel Tip: Nashville welcomes around 16 million visitors annually   and a lot of them are long-weekend visitors, meaning travelers tend to show up on Thursday and head home on Sunday. That means the city can be surprisingly quiet from Sunday evening through Wednesday. If you can plan a visit at that time of the week, you'll find crowds are less of a hassle. Or, if you can extend your stay to incorporate one or two of those days, you'll have an easier time booking a reservation at that hot restaurant or getting into a music show.

Things to Do

For many visitors to Nashville it is all about live music. If that's your goal, chances are you won't be disappointed as there are always bands playing somewhere. But the city also has plenty of great food to sample as well and a number of top-notch breweries too. You'll also find historical places to explore, unique shopping, surprisingly great parks, and an array of professional sports teams as well. Whether you're coming for just a day or two, or have an extended stay planned, chances are you'll find plenty of things to keep you busy in the Music City.

Music: If you have trouble finding live music in Nashville, you're simply not looking all that hard. You're likely to find artists and bands playing at the airport upon your arrival, but for a more suitable venue head down to Lower Broadway to check out the honky-tonk scene. Many of the bars in Nashville have bands playing every night, but for a real treat check the schedule at the Ryman , which just might be one of the best live music venues on the planet.

Museums: Nashville has a wide variety of museums to explore, which are great on a hot, muggy day. The Country Music Hall of Fame is a must-see for fans of the genre and the Tennessee State Museum is a walk through the local history and it's absolutely free to visit. Kids of all ages will love the Adventure Science Center , where you can actually have fun and learn something new at the same time.

History: For a slice of Civil War history, head over to Fort Negley to learn about the largest fortification built for Union troops after the city fell in 1862.   Nashville's Hermitage allows people to learn about the life of President Andrew Jackson and of the people enslaved there through tours of the estate. Nashville's Hermitage was For a different kind of history, head over to Music Row to see the iconic Nashville recording studios, some of which have been named to the National Register of Historic Places .

Parks: The Nashville greenway crisscrosses the city in a variety of places, offering visitors a place to take a quiet stroll and just stretch their legs a bit. But several other parks have a lot to offer as well, including Centennial — which has a full-size replica of the Greek Parthenon – and Radnor Lake , which features six miles of walking trail and the chance to spot an array of wildlife.

Sports: The Music City is home to both the Tennessee Titans of the NFL and the Nashville Predators of the NHL. It also has a AAA baseball team called the Nashville Sounds and a pro soccer team called the Nashville SC (soccer club). In short, that means sports fans will find a lot to love no matter what time of year they visit.

What to Eat and Drink

Nashville is one of those great destinations where the food can range from simple, down-home fare up to gourmet options that are so good you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. The city's signature dish is without a doubt Nashville Hot Chicken, which brings enough spice to test the taste buds of the most adventurous eaters. Give it a try at Hattie B's or Princes Hot Chicken to see what the fuss is all about. For something a bit more elevated and upscale, try the homemade pastas at Rolf & Daughters or sample just about anything on the menu at City House and Adele's .

As with most cities across the U.S., Nashville is home to some outstanding breweries as well. Yazoo is probably the most well known of the local brands, but places like Jackalope and Black Abbey make many fine options as well. If bourbon is more your style, head over to the Oak Bar to sample their stock. The famous and historical bar has been open for more than a century and has 130 bourbons to choose from. For great wine and great atmosphere, pack a picnic lunch and head out to Arrington Vineyards , where the setting is just as enchanting as what's in the bottle.

Where to Stay

There are a number of great hotels to choose from in Nashville, with many of them being centrally located in the downtown area. This makes them a convenient option for those visiting Lower Broadway, or partaking in the city's vibrant nightlife. You'll find some well-known chain hotels located on the periphery of the region, but places like the Hermitage Hotel and Noelle are found right in the middle of the action. If you want to stay a bit further out, the Opryland Hotel is a popular choice, with restaurants, shops, lush gardens, and even a waterpark found on premises.

Getting There

The best way to get to the Music City is by flying directly into the Nashville International Airport . The airport services around 18 million passengers annually.   Centrally located in town, travelers can rent a car, catch a bus, take a taxi, or use a ride-sharing service. It is roughly a 20-minute drive to downtown in a car. Alternatively, many people drive into Nashville too, with interstates 24, 40, and 65 providing good access from several directions.

Culture and Customs

In case you haven't figured it out just yet, music is the soul of Nashville. But don't be fooled, this isn't just a place for country fans. On any given night, visitors can find blues, jazz, rock, bluegrass, and a number of other genres being played too. Don't expect to find any locals wearing cowboy hats or boots, this is a rapidly growing, forward-thinking, and enlightened city where diversity, culture, and creativity are embraced.

That said, the city is still Southern to the core, which means the local hospitality is warm and welcoming. While Nashville has grown dramatically in recent years, it has also stayed in touch with its roots. Technology has become just as pervasive as barbecue and fried chicken, making this large city feel like a small hometown at the same time.

Money-Saving Tips

• Most live music is free. Sure, some bars will charge a cover, but it is easy to find places that to don't charge an admission fee to listen to the band.
• The area parks are free to use as well and often host events like farmer's markets, art festivals, sports activities, and even live music.
• Several of the city's museums, including the Tennessee State Museum and the Tennessee Agricultural Museum have no entry fees.
• Take a self-guided walking tour of downtown. There is a lot to see and do in the downtown area of Nashville and it is easily accessible on foot. You'll find shops, restaurants, parks, and other attractions that you can explore completely on your own.
• Discover more free things to do here .

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. "Statistics & Facts."

Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. "Fort Negley's History."

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. "BNA to Close One Runway for Full Reconstruction." April 3, 2020.

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Cleo Miller 721

Welcome to Cleo Miller! Hosted by iTrip Vacations Nashville

We are a professional vacation rental team based in Nashville. Our goal is to ensure a top-notch and seamless experience for the thousands of guests we get to host each year. Each of our homes is meticulously cleaned and prepared before your arrival. We're available 24/7 if you need us. Cheers to good people hosting amazing guests! Together, let's create unforgettable Nashville memories for you!

Discover East Nashville:

Nestled in Nashville's most vibrant neighborhood, immerse yourself in the authentic, local-centric world of East Nashville. Escape the monotony of corporate chains and dive into the rich tapestry of unique eateries like Mas Taco, The Pharmacy, and Lyra. From sports bars and craft beer hubs such as Tailgate Brewery and Dino’s to upscale cocktail lounges like Chopper’s and Pearl Diver, the locale brims with character.

Tucked in a harmonious blend of historic and contemporary residences, our home stands proudly in a modern enclave, a stone's throw from the pulsating Gallatin Rd. Stroll a few blocks, and you're amidst cafes, groceries, pharmacies, and more. Venture a tad further, and the iconic Five Points awaits with its array of experiences: kick-start mornings at Bongo Java East, savor slices at Five Points Pizza, or indulge in the town's best burger at Burger Up.

Experience the comfort of our brand-new three-story haven, outfitted with fresh furnishings, linens, and amenities. Revel in the spacious open design, ideal for relaxation amidst your Nashville adventures.

Open-concept dining with a table for six.

•Essential toiletries provided.

•Fully equipped laundry room.

Home Layout:

•Entry Level: A queen bedroom with a private en-suite bathroom.

•Main Level: Blending the kitchen, dining, and living areas, with an additional twin futon sleeper and a powder room.

•Top Floor: Master queen suite with its own bathroom and another queen bedroom with a dedicated bathroom.

•Abundant free street parking available anytime.

•For those using Uber/Lyft, rides are quick to hail and usually a short, affordable trip to major attractions. If driving, our driveway accommodates two smaller cars.

Seamless entry with automated keyless access. Guests enjoy 24/7 access through our garage door keypads. Entry codes are provided prior to check-in.

Your safety and comfort are paramount. Our home is diligently cleaned following CDC guidelines, reinforced with electrostatic cleaning technology. Our custom digital guidebook offers exclusive savings from local businesses. Note: We have discreet noise monitoring tech to maintain a serene environment. It doesn’t record audio, only monitors noise levels.

Eating & Dining:

• Donut Distillery

• Emmy Squared Pizza

• The Treehouse

• Noble's Beer Hall

• Hunter Station

Attractions:

• Germantown ~ 3 miles

• The Gulch ~ 4 miles

• Music Row ~ 6 miles

• Downtown Broadway ~ 2.5 miles

• Top Golf ~ 2.5 miles

• Nissan Stadium ~ 2 miles

• Bicentennial Park ~ 2.5 miles

• Sounds Stadium ~ 3 miles

• Bridgestone Arena ~ 3 miles

• Midtown/Vanderbilt ~ 5 miles

• 12 South ~ 7 mile

Metro Nashville STR Permit: 201904then9399

Sleeping Arrangements

Property rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

House rules, hazardous practices.

No barbeque grills of any kind are permitted on balconies or in the unit (Unless provided by the property owner). No open flames ie. Candle burning is permitted on balconies or in the unit. Do not dismantle smoke detectors as they are there for your protection. Use the overhead stove fan when cooking to avoid accidental, activation of smoke detector alarm.

are not allowed at most of our properties. If evidence of a pet(s) is found in a "No Pet" unit or on the premises you will be asked to vacate immediately with no refund of rent or damage deposit. *Some Properties Allow - With Additional Cleaning Fee per Listing - Please inquire.

No compensation will be given for temporary outage of electricity, gas, water, cable, or WiFi service. Outages will be reported immediately and all efforts will be made to have them restored as soon as possible.

Your door code will be e-mailed to you two days before check-in. 

NONSMOKING UNIT

Smoking is strictly prohibited. You will incur an additional charge for carpet cleaning and deodorizing if any evidence of smoking is found.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

• Tenant agrees to leave the premises and its contents in the same condition, neat and tidy, as Tenant found the premises to be upon move-in, normal wear and tear expected.
• All dishes are to be washed and all garbage removed from the premises and placed in outside receptacles. Please place trash in bins for pickup.
• No tape, nails, staples, tacks or other such devices may be used to affix decorations to any surfaces.
• Close all blinds in all rooms.
• The maximum number of occupants shall not exceed 8 people.
• Furnishings are not to be removed from the premises for use outside or in other properties.
• "No pets" policy must be observed. Pets are not allowed on premises unless prior authorization has been obtained.
• Smoking is not allowed in the unit.
• Reservations are not made by or for a minor, defined as any person under the age of twenty-five (25)
• Tenant and any guest of Tenant shall obey all laws of the state of Tennessee, as well as local laws, at all times while they are on the premises. Failure to abide by the laws of Tennessee or the above rules may cause tenant to be asked to vacate the premises and forfeit all rents and security/damage deposits.

SLEEPING CAPACITY/DISTURBANCES

Tenant and all other occupants will be required to vacate the premises and forfeit the rental fee and security deposit for any of the following: Occupancy exceeding the sleeping capacity of 8 people, using the premises for any illegal activity, causing damage to the premises rented or to any of the neighboring properties and any other acts which interferes with neighbors' right to quiet enjoyment of their premises. 

HOLD HARMLESS

iTrip or the Owner, does not assume any liability for loss, damage or injury to persons or their personal property. Neither does owner accept any liability for any inconveniences, damage, loss or injury arising from any temporary defects or stoppage in supply of water, gas, cable/wifi service, electricity or plumbing, as well as due to weather conditions, natural disasters, acts of God, or other reasons beyond its control.

Thank you so much! iTrip Nashville does its very best to offer our guests 5-star stays. Please feel free to reach out to us again as we would love to host you! - Manager Response

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Vanderbilt University honors Class of 2024 Founder’s Medalists

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May 9, 2024, 12:39 PM

In a time-honored tradition, Vanderbilt celebrated its Founder’s Medalists for the Class of 2024 at the Graduates Day event on May 9.

Since 1877, the university has awarded a gold medal to the student graduating with top honors from each of the university’s 10 schools and colleges . The award is named after the university’s founder, Cornelius Vanderbilt , who endowed the award in its first year.

Charles Dylan Hanson College of Arts and Science

Charles Dylan Hanson, from Boston, Massachusetts, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the College of Arts and Science . He is graduating with a bachelor of arts with two majors, history and computer science.

A highlight of his academic experience was conducting research in the Media and Inequality Lab, where he used big data technology to investigate social inequality through the lens of political science and media studies. One of his projects began with the question, “How did COVID affect people’s opinions of Chinese food?” He analyzed millions of Yelp reviews to find the answer.

On campus, he was president of Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations , a club that provides strategy consulting services to nonprofits and social impact organizations in the Southeast. He created Vandy.Link , a community management platform for student clubs. He was also director of technology in Vanderbilt Student Government, for which he was awarded the Nora C. Chaffin Scholarship for service to the university.

He expressed gratitude to his mother, who raised him as a single parent after his father died when Dylan was 14. Dylan completed his degree in December 2023 and has joined Bloomberg Financial Services as a software engineer. In the future, he plans to earn a J.D./MBA and launch a technology incubator for social good.

Alasdair Leslie Norman Payten Blair School of Music

Alasdair Leslie Norman Payten, from San Francisco, California, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Blair School of Music . He is graduating with a bachelor of musical arts and double-majored in voice performance and economics. Payten is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, under the Sartain Lanier Leadership Program, and a member of the Eta Iota chapter of national music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda.

He has made many contributions to the university’s performing arts as a member of Vanderbilt Opera Theatre , Vanderbilt Chorale and The Original Cast . A longtime advocate of music education, Payten has been a music theory tutor for Blair’s undergraduate and pre-college students, as well as a teaching assistant for the Vanderbilt Youth Choirs.

This past summer, he traveled to the United Kingdom as a Vanderbilt Choral Scholar to explore musical repertoire from the Renaissance period and to learn from England’s rich tradition of sacred choral music. He also participated in the InterHarmony International Music Festival, where he studied piano in the hills of Italy’s Piedmont region.

After graduation, Payten plans to work toward expanding access to classical music and music education, a cause that has guided him in his time at Vanderbilt.

Madison Marie Albert School of Engineering

Madison Marie Albert, from North Yarmouth, Maine, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the School of Engineering . She is graduating with a bachelor of engineering. Albert, who double-majored in biomedical engineering and mathematics, began looking for research opportunities as a first-year student. She was selected for the highly competitive Research Experiences for Undergraduates program , created by the National Science Foundation. Her REU project in applied mathematics modeled bone cells.

During her sophomore year, her academic adviser, William Grissom, associate professor of biomedical engineering, reached out with an opportunity to join his MRI lab. Albert found that MRI research provided the perfect combination of clinical relevance and computational work for her. She has learned more about MRI, and the potential to never stop learning drives her desire to pursue research as a career.

Her honors include the Case School of Engineering Swanger Graduate Fellowship and a Goldwater Scholarship.

Albert’s most meaningful service experience during college was being the rector for the University Catholic Awakening Retreat in 2023, with about 150 college students from across Davidson County attending. She says her faith has grown significantly through involvement with University Catholic.

After graduation, she will pursue a doctorate in biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University. And she will continue her research with Professor Grissom to develop pulse optimization tools for MRI.

Morgan Anne Heath-Powers Peabody College of Education and Human Development

Morgan Anne Heath-Powers, from Reno, Nevada, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Peabody College of Education and Human Development . She is graduating with a bachelor of science and majored in human and organizational development, with an emphasis in health and human services and a minor in Spanish for the professions. She was a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, a Peabody Honors Scholar, and a Pugh-Hernández Scholar, receiving support for a Maymester trip across Spain through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

While she initially intended to pursue a career in business, her heart was captured by courses in neuroscience, medical anthropology and health care service delivery to diverse populations. Through a course at Vanderbilt, she trained as a Spanish medical interpreter, and dedicated much of her time to volunteering and refining her skills with organizations such as Siloam Health, a Nashville nonprofit bringing comprehensive, whole-person health care to the uninsured and culturally marginalized.

She was co-president of the Vanderbilt Pre-Nursing Society , empowering fellow students along the same path. She thanks the deans of Undergraduate Student Affairs, Vanderbilt’s multiple student care organizations, the Title IX Office and her incredible professors for their instrumental support, care and belief in her the past four years. She is also grateful for family and friends who surround her with love, encouragement and hope.

After graduation, Heath-Powers looks forward to continuing her education to become a clinician who serves individuals and communities through primary care focused on prevention and whole-person wellness.

Sarah Moore Divinity School

Sarah Moore, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Divinity School . She is graduating with a master of divinity with a concentration in chaplaincy. Moore earned a bachelor of science in biology and global health at Georgetown University.

Through her field education placement at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, she developed a deep love for pediatric chaplaincy, supporting children and their families with the unique emotional and spiritual needs that arise in the hospital. She was recognized by the pediatric medicine nursing staff for her dedication to quality care for patients and families.

Courses in bioethics and in death and dying influenced how she approaches her work in the hospital and in caring for families. She received honors for her degree project, “This Woman’s Work: Accounts of Bearing Witness, Spiritual Care and Special Space on the NICU.” Moore is grateful to the spiritual care team at Children’s Hospital, who mentored her for the past two years while she served as a student chaplain.

After graduation, she will move to the Pacific Northwest to practice her vocation in pediatric chaplaincy.

Lucy Magill Alsip Vollbrecht Graduate School

Lucy Magill Alsip Vollbrecht, from Flagstaff, Arizona, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Graduate School . She is graduating with a doctor of philosophy in philosophy. Vollbrecht is a specialist in social epistemology, which is the study of how knowledge is produced and transmitted in group and social contexts. She earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy at Whitman College. Her interests include ancient philosophy, argumentation theory and feminist theories of knowledge.

Vollbrecht has a forthcoming article, “Can Feminists be Skeptics?” being published by Southwest Philosophy Review . Associate Professor of Philosophy Scott Aikin, Vollbrecht’s adviser, says that “her research, beyond the dissertation, has carried her to the question of the relevance of the ancients to contemporary philosophical and social questions.”

Her honors include the Dean’s Fellowship Award, the Publication Excellence Prize and the Ethics Dissertation Prospectus Prize. She also received high marks for her teaching. Vollbrecht was a member of the Philosophy Graduate Student Association Teaching Committee and helped organize the Philosophy Graduate Student Colloquium. She also was co-chair of Vanderbilt Minorities and Philosophy.

After graduation, she begins a postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, where she will focus on political argument, policy and civility.

Robert Christian Dunn Law School

Robert Christian Dunn, of Columbus, Ohio, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Law School . He is graduating with a doctor of jurisprudence. Dunn is a Double ’Dore, having earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt in 2018.

He has fond memories of two undergraduate classes on author James Joyce taught by English Professor Roy Gottfried. Dunn credits those courses with how he reads and analyzes texts.

During law school, Dunn was executive editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review . He was honored with many Scholastic Excellence awards: Constitutional Law I and II, Civil Procedure, Corporations and Business Entities, Securities Regulation, and Mergers and Acquisitions.

One of his favorite spring and summer activities in Nashville has been floating the Harpeth River, and he became involved with the Harpeth Conservancy, doing volunteer pro bono legal work for them. His first foray into environmental law was a deeply meaningful experience. Not only has he been able to work on behalf of some of Nashville’s best natural assets, but he also discovered a real enjoyment for environmental legal work.

After graduation, Dunn will move to New York City to begin practice as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

Sachin Kumar Aggarwal School of Medicine

Sachin Kumar Aggarwal, from Houston, Texas, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the School of Medicine . He is graduating with a doctor of medicine. Aggarwal earned a bachelor of science at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied biomedical engineering.

His path to medicine was shaped by multiple influences, including his mother’s completion of medical school in India and physician friends in Houston who exemplified values of caring, compassion and respect. This combination of influences remains at the core of Aggarwal’s passion for medicine and health care.

At Vanderbilt, Aggarwal held multiple volunteer and leadership positions at the student-run Shade Tree Clinic , which provides free, high-quality care to uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Nashville area. Aggarwal directed the clinic operations to maintain high-quality care while working on projects to expand offerings and enhance the clinic’s sustainability.

He also created health education videos and presentations for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work led him to receive the 2021 Robert F. Miller Award for Community Service and Engagement.

He has matched into residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Aggarwal hopes to continue addressing health equity through direct patient care and innovation at different levels of health care interactions.

Teresa J. Cagle School of Nursing

Teresa J. Cagle, from Fayetteville, Georgia, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the School of Nursing . She is graduating with a doctor of nursing practice. Cagle, a psychiatric–mental health nurse practitioner, earned a master of science and bachelor of science in nursing at Georgia College & State University. She worked as a registered nurse in surgical and emergency department services, the latter during COVID-19.

As a doctoral-prepared nurse practitioner, she is the strong voice for those affected by mental health disorders, which have risen sharply among young people. Her doctoral studies instilled a passionate desire to advocate for mental health curriculum in Georgia school systems.

She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She completed a quality improvement project that addressed analyzing the effectiveness and utility of a pharmacogenomic-guided approach to personalized medication management for depressive disorders. She has been instrumental in proposing the addition of a specialty pharmacy within her outpatient clinic to better serve her community’s vulnerable population.

Cagle has a focus on nursing education and has incorporated precepting students in the outpatient clinic, understanding that the shortage of mental health professionals is at a critical level. She volunteers in her hometown with the Trilith Foundation, which strives to enrich lives mentally, physically, spiritually and relationally. Her involvement there puts her in a position to influence key stakeholders invested in her community’s mental health.

Cagle believes her academic journey, combined with her calling, has led to greater opportunities for mental health awareness, patient safety, nursing education, medical missions, patient advocacy and innovative change.

Branson Thomas Horn Owen Graduate School of Management

Branson Thomas Horn, from Birmingham, Alabama, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Owen Graduate School of Management . He is graduating with a master of business administration with concentrations in strategy and health care. Horn earned a bachelor of science at the University of Alabama, where he double-majored in finance and economics, with a minor in social innovation and leadership.

At Vanderbilt, he was honored as a Dean’s Scholar, a Bruce D. Henderson Scholar and an Ingram Scholar.

Two influential courses for Horn were Healthcare Immersion, taught by Professor Emeritus of Economics and Strategy Larry Van Horn, and Launching the Venture, taught by Professor of the Practice of Management Michael Burcham. Healthcare Immersion exposed Horn to many leaders at the cutting edge of their fields in health care business. Launching the Venture solidified his interest in entrepreneurship and working with growth-stage companies.

Horn was president of the Venture and Entrepreneurship Club , where he worked to foster a better understanding of Nashville’s entrepreneurship scene in the Owen community. He also enjoyed being a teaching assistant for an intensive learning module for first-year MBA students. It was especially rewarding to help those with no business background gain confidence in their accounting and finance skill sets and continue their momentum at Owen.

He is grateful for the support of his wife, Kelly Severino Horn, and he follows in the footsteps of her many family members who are Vanderbilt alumni. After graduation, Horn will participate in Nashville’s thriving entrepreneurship community.

• See more stories from the Class of 2024.
• Check out a list of past Founder’s Medalists .
• Share your Commencement photos by tagging #VU2024.
• Find all the latest celebration details on the Vanderbilt Commencement website .

Keep Reading

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Explore story topics.

• 2024 commencement
• 2024 Commencement Top News
• Alasdair Leslie Norman Payten
• Branson Thomas Horn
• Charles Dylan Hanson
• commencement 2024
• Founder's Medalists
• Lucy Magill Alsip Vollbrecht
• Madison Marie Albert
• Morgan Anne Heath-Powers
• Robert Christian Dunn
• Sachin Kumar Aggarwal
• Sarah Moore
• Teresa J. Cagle

J.D. Student Profile

Katlyn miller.

Director, Assistant General Counsel, Capital One

Katlyn Miller had an unparalleled opportunity to learn how the highest court in the land operates during the two years she served on the staff of the Supreme Court of the United States. Miller had originally planned to enter law school immediately after earning her undergraduate degree at American University. However, after interning in the Supreme Court’s Clerk’s Office during her senior year of college, she was offered a permanent position on the Court’s staff, which also afforded an ideal preparation for law school. “The Supreme Court’s work is a very academic pursuit conducted by some of the top legal minds in the world,” she said. “The Socratic questioning we undergo in class at Vanderbilt is similar to the interactions the justices engage in with arguing attorneys during oral argument.”

While working in the Court’s offices, Miller met Vanderbilt Law graduate Kate Tarbert, Class of 2005, who clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts during 2010-11. Tarbert’s positive experience at Vanderbilt encouraged Miller to apply, but she was still deciding among law schools in April 2011 when she arrived at Vanderbilt for Admitted Students Day. “Within the first hour, I knew I would come here,” she said. “The community as a whole and the ‘feel’ of Vanderbilt won me over. This was the first campus where I thought, ‘These are the people I want to be around for the next three years.’ The students here are extremely intelligent but also well-rounded and down to earth, and the professors really care about teaching and connecting with students. I enjoy working with and learning from my colleagues at Vanderbilt, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

Miller spent summer 2013 working at King & Spalding in Washington, D.C., after spending summer 2012 at a law firm in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska, that specializes in Native American interest work. She was a law clerk for Judge James C. Mahan, a 1973 Vanderbilt Law graduate, on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada during 2014-15, and now works as an assistant attorney general in the Office of the West Virginia Attorney General. She will clerk for Judge Alice Batchelder of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for the 2017-18 term.

Miller was a star high-school soccer player who played on American University’s women’s soccer team as a freshman, but then left the team to focus on her coursework. However, she still enjoys playing soccer and is active in the Vanderbilt Law Futbol Club, a student organization that organizes a weekly coed soccer match. “Law school is a demanding and stressful experience,” she said. “The Futbol Club helped us maintain balance by doing something together that didn’t have anything to do with law or school.” She also served as co-president of the Law Students for Veteran’s Affairs and was active in the Jewish Law Students Association.

After six years in D.C., Miller was pleasantly surprised by life in Nashville, a state capital with big-city amenities, but a more relaxed quality of life. “What a great city!” she said. “You feel the southern sense of community and hospitality everywhere. My first semester, the streets around the law school closed down for a free Alan Jackson concert!”

Recap: Nashville Predators fall to Vancouver Canucks in Game 3, trail NHL playoffs series 2-1

Special teams made special plays for the Vancouver Canucks against the Nashville Predators in Friday's 2-1 victory in Game 3 of the NHL Western Conference quarterfinals at Bridgestone Arena.

Vancouver now leads the series over Nashville, 2-1.

The Canucks scored both of their goals on power plays on Friday. The first came in the first period from J.T. Miller, on the Canucks' first shot of the game. The second came from Brock Boeser in the second period with an assist from Miller.

Vancouver went 2-for-3 on the power play, Nashville was 0-for-5. The Predators had a 5-on-3 late in the third period. Ryan O'Reilly had a shot blocked by the visor on Ian Cole's helmet. The Canucks killed the penalty successfully.

Nashville's Luke Evangelista scored the Predators' lone goal with 3:12 left to play and give the Predators some life late in the game.

The Predators outshot the Canucks, 31-12, and had several opportunities to score. Namely, Colton Sissons had a slap shot beat Vancouver goaltender Casey DeSmith, but the puck stopped in the crease. Another opportunity was thwarted when Evangelista had a rebound in the crease blocked away by DeSmith.

Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals is set for 4 p.m. Sunday at Bridgestone Arena.

GAME 3 LINEUPS: Nashville Predators' expected lineup for Game 3 vs Vancouver Canucks

ADDING DEPTH: Nashville Predators add Juuso Parssinen ahead of Game 3 against Vancouver Canucks

PLAYOFF BEARDS: Which Nashville Predators have best, worst playoff beards? Here's how the tradition began

Nashville Predators live score updates vs. Vancouver Canucks in Game 3 NHL playoffs

Third period, final: canucks 2, predators 1 | vancouver holds on for victory in game 3 on the road.

Despite a goal from Luke Evangelista, the Nashville Predators couldn't find a second goal and drop Game 3 of the Western Conference quarterfinals, 2-1.

Vancouver now leads the series, two games to one.

Nashville outshot Vancouver, 31-12, in Game 3. Twelve shots is the fewest in the Canucks' playoff history.

Canucks 2, Predators 1 with 3:12 to play in third period | Luke Evangelista brings Predators to within a goal

Luke Evangelista fired a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle past Casey DeSmith's glove to pull the Predators to within a goal with 3:12 to play.

Evangelista's goal is his first of his playoff career and was unassisted. The goal came on the Predators' 28th shot of the night.

The crowd at Bridgestone Arena is loud after the goal.

Nashville's net is empty for an extra attacker with two minutes to play.

Vancouver Canucks kill off key 5-on-3 situation against Nashville Predators

Ryan O'Reilly had a shot attempt on a virtually empty net blocked by the shaft of Ian Cole's stick on the 5-on-3.

Roman Josi and the Predators put powerful shots against Casey DeSmith, but the Canuck netminder kept the puck out.

Vancouver leads, 2-0, with 6:14 to play in Game 3.

Nashville Predators go on fourth power play in Game 3

Nashville is going on the power play for the fourth time tonight.

Vancouver's Brock Boeser was called for a trip against Alexandre Carrier with 10:53 left in the third period.

0-for-3 in Game 3 and 1-for-11 in the series. Ryan O'Reilly scored a power play in Game 1 for the lone power play goal of the series.

With 21 seconds left in the power play, Vancouver's Nikita Zadorov shot the puck over the glass from his own goal line. This is the Canucks' second delay of game penalty.

Nashville will have 21 seconds of 5-on-3 and will have 1:39 of a power play.

Spencer Stastney not on Nashville Predators bench at start of third period

Nashville defenseman Spencer Stastney left the Nashville bench late in the second period of Game 3. He did not return to the bench at the start of the third period.

Stastney exited the game for about seven game minutes after taking a hit to the head from Vancouver's Dakota Joshua.

UPDATE: The Predators announced Stastney is out of the game with an upper body injury.

Second period

Canucks 2, predators 0 after two periods at bridgestone arena.

Game 3 is intense, both teams are getting after one another. Brock Boeser put the Canucks up, 2-0, with a power play goal early in the period.

Nashville outshot Vancouver, 11-6, in the second period and hold a 16-9 advantage through two periods. Nashville leads in faceoffs (67%-33%) and has outhit Vancouver, 21-18.

Vancouver has 16 blocked shots against Nashville's 10.

Quick penalties put Predators, Canucks in 3-on-3 situation

Just over a minute into the 4-on-4, Nashville's Gustav Nyquist was called for a cross-check against Vancouver's J.T. Miller, who was called for a slash.

The teams will play 3-on-3 for 56 seconds, at least.

Neither team scored from the penalties, but the animosity between the two teams is growing more fierce by the minute.

Great opportunity for Predators turns into 4-on-4 late in late second period

Shots from Filip Forsberg and Luke Evangelista were saved by Casey DeSmith, including Evangelista's shot from just outside the crease.

Vancouver's Quinn Hughes held Evangelista near the net and was going to be sent to the penalty box and give the Predators a power play. However, Evangelista and Hughes were wrestling with one another behind the net. Evangelista was issued a minor penalty for roughing.

The teams will play two minutes of 4-on-4 hockey.

Canucks 2, Predators 0 at 15:27 of second period | Brock Boeser puts Vancouver Canucks up two with tip-in goal

Brock Boeser scored his first career playoff goal with a tip-in goal with 15:27 left in the second period. J.T. Miller, who scored the first goal of the game, fired a saucer pass toward Boeser near the Predator crease.

Quinn Hughes picked up his second assist of the night.

Predators nearly score first goal, Canucks clear puck in crease

Colton Sissons fired a slap shot at Casey DeSmith, the shot beat DeSmith and leaked into the crease. The puck stopped in the crease and was cleared out by the Canuck defense.

It's still 1-0, Vancouver, two minutes into the period.

First period

Canucks 1, predators 0 after one period.

Vancouver killed off three penalties while scoring a power play goal of its own to take a 1-0 lead after the first period at Bridgestone Arena.

Nashville has dominated virtually every aspect of the game, but going 0-for-3 on the power play leaves the Predators down one.

The Predators are leading faceoff percentage (77%-23%), hits (12-9), shots on goal (5-3) and takeaways (3-1). The Canucks lead blocked shots, 8-4.

Nashville Predators go on power play after Canucks called for delay of game

Vancouver's Teddy Blueger shot the puck over the glass in the defensive zone and was called for a delay of game with 2:28 left in the first period.

Nashville is 0-for-2 on the power play in the first period.

The Predators missed out on their third power play opportunity of the first period and generated one shot.

Vancouver again goes on power play after Ryan McDonagh called for hooking

Ryan McDonagh was called for hooking 1:06 after the Canucks scored the game's first goal.

Vancouver is 1-for-1 on the power play with one shot.

The Predators killed off the penalty and Vancouver generated two shots.

Canucks 1, Predators 0 at 6:37 of first period | Vancouver's J.T. Miller scores on power play for first Canucks goal

One shot, one goal for the Vancouver Canucks in Game 3 against the Nashville Predators.

J.T. Miller scored his first goal of the series with a power play goal with 6:37 left in the first period at Bridgestone Arena.

Nashville had attempted to clear the puck on the penalty kill, but the puck stayed in the Canucks' offensive zone. Miller fired the shot from just beyond the faceoff circle and beat Predators goaltender Juuse Saros glove side.

Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson were credited with assists on the goal.

Vancouver Canucks go on first power play of game against Nashville Predators

Nashville's Michael McCarron was whistled for goaltender interference against Casey DeSmith.

Vancouver had just killed off the second Nashville power play with 7:32 to play in the first period.

Predators draw another Canucks penalty, Nashville goes on second power play

Filip Forsberg drew a penalty on a Predators' rush when Vancouver's Tyler Myers high-sticked the Nashville forward.

The Predators go on the power play again with 9:53 to play in the first period.

Nashville generated one shot on their second power play of the game but is now 0-for-2 on the man-advantage.

Predators go on first power play of game, Spencer Stastney exits game

Nashville defenseman Spencer Stastney took a hit to the head on the end boards from Dakota Joshua early in the first period.

Stastney exited the game with 15:03 left in the first period. Joshua was issued a two-minute minor penalty.

Nashville did not register a shot on the power play but had one shot attempt.

Stastney returned to the ice just a few minutes later and blocked a shot.

National anthem singers before Predators-Canucks Game 3

Colbie Caillat sang the United States national anthem before Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena.

Cathy Mullins sang "Oh, Canada" before Caillat sang the "Star Spangled Banner."

Nashville Predators starting lines against Vancouver Canucks in Game 3 of NHL playoffs first round

Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly and Gustav Nyquist lead the top forward line for the Nashville Predators in Game 3 against the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan McDonagh and Roman Josi are the top defensive pairing for the Predators.

Starting goaltenders: Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros vs. Vancouver Canucks' Casey DeSmith

Nashville's Juuse Saros starts in net for the third game of the series. Saros has a 2.01 goals-against average with a .895 save percentage in the first two games of the series.

Vancouver won Game 1, 4-2, on Sunday; Nashville won Game 2, 4-1, on Tuesday.

Vancouver's Casey DeSmith made 12 saves in the Game 2 loss. He has a 2.89 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage in the playoffs. DeSmith started Game 2 after starter Thatcher Demko suffered an injury in Game 1. Demko is listed as week-to-week and is not expected to play in Game 3.

What channel is Predators vs. Canucks NHL playoffs Game 3 on today?

• TV channel: Bally Sports South locally, TBS nationally
• Stream: Bally Sports App, FUBO  ( free trial )

Streaming options for the game include  FUBO , which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Predators vs. Canucks NHL playoffs Game 3 start time

• Date: Friday, April 26
• Time: 6:30 p.m. CT

Predators vs. Canucks NHL playoffs Game 3 betting odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, April 25

• Puck line: Predators -1.5 at +220, Canucks +1.5 at -275
• Total goals: 6 goals
• Money line: Predators -115, Canucks -105

Nashville Predators vs. Vancouver Canucks NHL playoffs first-round schedule

All times Central

Game 1: Canucks 4, Pre d ators 2

Game 2: Predators 4, Canucks 1

Game 3:  Vancouver at Nashville; 6:30 p.m. CT, Friday, April 26 on TBS and Bally Sports South

Game 4:  Vancouver at Nashville; 4 p.m. CT, Sunday, April 28 on TBS, truTV and Bally Sports South

Game 5 : Nashville at Vancouver; Time TBD on Tuesday, April 30 on Bally Sports South locally, TBD nationally

Game 6 (if necessary):  Vancouver at Nashville; TBD on Friday, May 3

Game 7 (if necessary):  Nashville at Vancouver; TBD on Sunday, May 5

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

From hitmaker to historian: Why Ernest is reviving the sound of classic country music

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The country artist known simply as Ernest is a couple of cocktails deep on a recent afternoon in the rooftop garden of West Hollywood’s Soho House, a diamond pendant the size of a AA battery nestled within the open neck of his blue western shirt.

The pendant, which reads DANGEROUS, is one of three matching pieces he commissioned from a jeweler in Orange County — one for Ernest, one for Hardy, one for Morgan Wallen — as a memento of the trio’s time writing songs together for Wallen’s six-times-platinum “Dangerous: The Double Album.” The western shirt, meanwhile, reflects Ernest’s love of Ralph Lauren. The designer’s career in fashion, as depicted in the 2019 documentary “Very Ralph,” “changed my life,” Ernest says. “Seriously. I watched it three or four years ago and shortly after cleaned out my closet and started shopping Double RL.” Ernest’s mood board for the cover of his new album, “Nashville, Tennessee,” contained a picture of Lauren leaning against a barn with an American flag in the background.

“We shot the cover in my barn,” he says of himself and his wife, Delaney Royer, who handles Ernest’s visual content. “But we made the mood board before we even bought our farm.”

The rare Nashville native in country music, Ernest, 32, has always been interested in clothes, even if he lacked the wherewithal to indulge his passion. “High school was Sperrys, khakis and a school polo,” he says. Now, though — thanks to No. 1 country hits he’s penned for Sam Hunt (“ Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90s ”), Kane Brown (“ One Mississippi ”) and especially Wallen, with whom he wrote nearly two dozen songs across “Dangerous” and Wallen’s 2023 blockbuster, “ One Thing at a Time ” — he’s got plenty of dough to splurge on more imaginative threads.

“I’m here for like 48 hours and I brought five outfits,” he says with a laugh at Soho House, where he’s spending part of a quick trip to L.A. before heading to Dodger Stadium to watch his childhood friend Mookie Betts battle the Giants. (Thus, perhaps, his choice of blue.)

As a songwriter, Ernest specializes in creating melodies and vocal lines that adapt a rapper’s flow patterns to the cadences of country music; his tunes embody the casual hybridity of a generation that grew up in the overlapping shadows of Garth Brooks and Snoop Dogg. His latest hit, “ I Had Some Help ” by the duo of Post Malone and Wallen, dropped Friday and rocketed over the weekend to the top of Spotify’s Global Top 50 chart with more than 13 million streams.

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“Ernest is one of the most magical songwriters in Nashville,” says Jelly Roll , the Southern rapper turned country singer who wrote his chart-topping “Son of a Sinner” with Ernest. “When we look back at the 2020s, he’ll be one of the names remembered for bringing an entire sound to this decade.”

Yet as an artist Ernest is trying something slightly different on “Nashville, Tennessee,” his second LP under his own name after 2022’s “Flower Shops (The Album).” It’s a sprawling 26-track collection that reaches back to an old-fashioned country-music sensibility, with rip-roaring honky-tonk jams up against finely detailed string-band excursions and handsome tear-in-your-beer ballads. Among Ernest’s goals for the project is introducing these traditional styles to the younger listeners tuned into his more modern work.

“If you like how this feels,” he says, “go check out Vern Gosdin or Roger Miller or go listen to Ray Charles’ ‘Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.’”

At the same time, he’s eager to broaden the minds of older folks potentially predisposed to write off the likes of Wallen or Hardy. “Some of the songs I’ve written for other artists definitely fall into the that-ain’t-country category,” he says. “It’s easy for somebody to say that because they’ve got 808s or trap beats or whatnot. But that’s coming from the same hands that wrote a song on my album like ‘ Ain’t as Easy ,’” he adds, referring to a sumptuous weeper draped in pedal steel.

The result has a kind of musicological sweep that not only honors the cultural breadth of Ernest’s hometown — a city he loves enough that his and Royer’s 3-year-old son is named Ryman after Nashville’s storied Ryman Auditorium — but also evokes ideas of lineage and inheritance.

“Ernest is a real student of country music, and I think he’s on track to becoming a master of his craft,” says Lukas Nelson, who joins Ernest for a duet in the jumping western swing number “Why Dallas.” “He’s already had commercial success, but I think he and I would agree that mastery has nothing to do with that. Mastery is more about the depth of your artistry.”

Indeed, you can look at Ernest’s ambitions with “Nashville, Tennessee” as his way of spending some of the music-biz capital he accrued over the last few years. “That’s what I did with ‘A Star Is Born,’” says Nelson, who views the songs he wrote for the 2018 Bradley Cooper/Lady Gaga blockbuster as “a vehicle to further fuel my creativity.”

“I want this album to live beyond just being a hot, sizzling record right now,” Ernest says. “That’s secondary to the importance of it being one of those albums we’re talking about down the road.”

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He might end up getting it both ways: Last month, Ernest had a plum main-stage performance spot at Indio’s Stagecoach festival, where he also put in cameos with Wallen and with Nelson and Nelson’s 90-year-old legend of a dad, Willie. And he’s up for two prizes at this week’s Academy of Country Music Awards, new male artist of the year and artist-songwriter of the year.

Before he turned seriously to music, Ernest (whose last name is Smith) grew up playing baseball. He’s known Betts, a fellow Nashville native, since he was 8 and competed both alongside and against him until the two graduated high school. “Mookie struck out one time his senior year, and it was off me,” he says today with a grin.

As a kid, his “holy trinity” of musicians were Eminem, John Mayer and George Strait; after dropping out of college, he made a short-lived go at being a rapper but eventually refocused on country songwriting. Hunt’s 2014 debut “Montevallo” — on which the former college football player struck an elegant blend of country, hip-hop and R&B — was a crucial inspiration. “It had everybody scrambling,” Ernest says. His first big moment as an artist came in 2021 with his song “ Flower Shops ,” a duet with Wallen that cracked the top 20 of Billboard’s country chart and led to a profile-boosting gig as Wallen’s opening act on the road.

For the new album, which opens with a funny (and true) two-hander with Jelly Roll called “ I Went to College / I Went to Jail ,” Ernest and his producer, Joey Moi, instituted what they called “the Opry filter.” That meant that every arrangement had to be playable by the live band at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry — no samples or programmed beats allowed.

“We did everything as authentically as possible,” says Moi, who also produces Wallen’s and Hardy’s records. “All the Nashville players — these guys who’ve been around for two, three, four decades — they’re all obsessed with Ernest. They’re like, ‘Oh, my God — finally .’”

Yet Ernest hardly maintains a gatekeeper’s mindset regarding country music. “I think the genre is wide open right now in the best way ever,” he says as he orders another drink — a Bee’s Knees, to be exact — from a server.

Asked what he thinks about the handful of pop stars — among them Malone, Beyoncé and Lana Del Rey — making country moves lately, he says, “It just means there’s more eyes on country music. I think Beyoncé is gonna do for the genre what Taylor Swift did for the NFL. I’m honored to get to have an album drop and be living in the same world as the queen.”

Does he have a favorite track from Beyoncé’s “ Cowboy Carter ”? “Spaghettii,” he replies. “I love that she’s talking her s—. You can tell she did her homework, and I appreciate that.” Ernest says he’s heard Del Rey’s “Lasso,” the title track from an album she’s said is coming later this year, and that it’s good; he also says he’s written “a bunch of songs” with Malone beyond “I Had Some Help.”

He’s just as enthused about Zach Bryan, the raw, rootsy singer-songwriter from Oklahoma who’s irritated some in the Nashville record industry by building an enormous audience without relying on the help of country radio. “I f— with how much he doesn’t give a f—,” Ernest says. “Things can be so pretty and so careful. What he does is refreshing. People say his records sound like he recorded in a bedroom or a basement. But guess what? Most people are listening to it in a bedroom or a basement.”

As Ernest prepares to spend the summer on tour with Brooks & Dunn, does he ever think back to his early days as a rapper? “Oh yeah — that all pulses through my DNA as a creator,” he says. His favorite part of rapping was freestyling, he adds; he’s got videos on his phone of him and Jelly Roll going back and forth on a tour bus for an hour at a time.

“Now when I pick up a guitar, it feels like the world’s moving slow,” he says. “The thoughts are coming way faster than I have the time to say them.”

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How to Plan a Trip to Las Vegas on a Budget, According to a Travel Expert

Because Sin City isn’t just for high rollers.

How to Save on Food

How to save on transportation, how to find affordable las vegas hotels, how to save on flights to las vegas, free las vegas activities.

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

When you think of Las Vegas, it’s likely the glimmering casinos , flashy hotels, over-the-top entertainment , and extravagant meals that come to mind first. However, you don’t need to spend a small fortune to have a good time in Sin City — so as long as you’re savvy. From flights and hotels to activities and transportation, here are our top tips on how to plan a trip to Las Vegas on a budget, including expert insight, tips, and recommendations from long-time Vegas visitor and travel advisor Allison DePesa of Marvelous Mouse Travels . 

monticelllo/Getty Images

It’s no secret Sin City is home to spectacular restaurants , including the Michelin-starred Picasso , the sceney Cipriani Las Vegas , and Wolfgang Puck’s beloved Spago , to name a few. However, these aren’t the only options in town. Those looking to get the most bang for their buck can — and should — take advantage of Vegas’ seemingly endless buffets, says DePesa. What’s more, she tells T+L, “Buffets are a staple in Vegas, and you can usually find a great all-you-can-eat option with bottomless Champagne, mimosas, or bloody marys if you go for brunch.” For example, you can’t go wrong at Wicked Spoon at The Cosmopolitan, which serves extravagant all-day brunch items like bone marrow, short ribs, and even steamed snow crab — in addition to the classics like omelets — for $47 per person on weekdays and $54 on weekends; $25 extra for bottomless mimosas, Champagne, bloody marys, or Bud Light). For a more affordable option, consider the MGM Grand Buffet (from $31.99 Monday to Thursday, $37.99 Friday to Sunday), which offers an array of breakfast and lunch dishes, from fresh pastas to pancakes. If buffets aren’t your thing, the Strip is also teeming with fast-food joints and quick-service restaurants. Tacos El Gordo , which doles out wallet-friendly tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, and other Mexican favorites, is among our favorites, as is the Instagram-worthy Cafe Lola , which dishes out sweet and savory breakfast and lunch staples (think crème brûlée challah French toast).

Additionally, DePesa recommends budget-conscious travelers take advantage of happy hour specials. “Many restaurants and bars in Vegas offer discounted food and drink specials during happy hour, usually in the late afternoon or early evening. “ Brera Osteria at The Venetian Resort offers 50 percent off pizza, cocktails, and wines by the glass every day between 3 and 5 p.m. Also, don’t miss sangria hour at The Cosmopolitan's Jaleo , which has sangria from $7, beers from $7, wine from $9, and cocktails from $12 — along with a selection of tapas — every day from 5 to 7 p.m. The deals continue off the Strip at local favorite Honey Salt , where guests can enjoy $5 beers and wines, $6 cocktails, and apps like fried pickles and chicken sliders between $4 and $8 apiece every Monday through Friday between 3 and 6 p.m.

Pro tip: Be sure to sign up for restaurant rewards programs. “Many restaurants, especially those located in casinos, offer rewards programs or loyalty cards,” says DePesa. “Sign up for these programs to earn discounts, free meals, or other perks.” 

Although resorts on the Strip are typically more expensive than those a bit further away, their central location makes it much easier — and cheaper — to get around. What’s more, explains DePesa, “The Las Vegas Strip is relatively compact, and many attractions are within walking distance of each other.”

However, that’s not to say you can’t stay off the Strip and still save on transportation. While taxis and ride-share apps are available — as are rental cars, of course — DePesa recommends utilizing public transit to get around. “There's an extensive bus system in Las Vegas, including the Strip and downtown areas.” Deuce on the Strip , which runs 24/7, stops at almost every resort on the Strip, and while single rides cost $4, you can save money by snagging a multiday pass; a three-day one, for example, will run you $20. The Downtown Loop is a free shuttle service that takes visitors to some of downtown Vegas’ top attractions, including the Arts District and Fremont Street Experience . Also, keep in mind that some off-the-Strip hotels offer complimentary shuttle service to the Strip — but more on that below. 

 Ethan Miller/Getty Images

A Las Vegas hotel stay doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. For one, DePesa recommends booking well in advance, which "can often lead to better deals." She adds, "Hotels tend to offer lower rates for early bookings, especially if you're traveling during off-peak seasons." The summer months (June, July, and August) coincide with the city's low season due to the scorching heat. As such, you can find lower hotel rates. Shoulder season (September through November and January through April) also offers discounted nightly rates; according to Kayak, March is the cheapest month to stay in Las Vegas, with an average five percent drop in price. Ultimately, being flexible with your dates is key. "Midweek stays tend to be cheaper than weekends, and rates may fluctuate depending on special events or conventions in the city," explains DePesa. Finally, as previously mentioned, consider staying at a hotel off the Strip since, per the pro, properties “tend to be more affordable.” She elaborates, “Many of these hotels offer complimentary shuttle services to the Strip, making it convenient to access the main attractions."

DePesa recommends using Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort as your base. The property is home to 13 on-site restaurants and spacious accommodations clocking in at more than 500 square feet. She also suggests checking into Marriott's Grand Chateau ; while it does not provide shuttle service to the Strip — though, fortunately, it’s less than a mile away — it does have a rooftop pool, two bars, and, best of all, no resort fee.

If you choose to stay on the Strip, you can save money by selecting a property with low or no resort fees, which can cost as much as $55 per night. Those craving a more upscale hotel experience may consider a stay at the Sahara Las Vegas , one of few Strip hotels with an under-$40 nightly resort fee .

Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Looking to save money on flights ? Just like with hotels, DePesa says the key is to “be flexible with dates and book early.” She also recommends using fare comparison websites like Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak to help you “easily find the best deals and set up price alerts for your desired travel dates.” Additionally, if you have the time and patience, DePesa recommends opting for a connecting flight to or from Vegas since they tend to be less expensive. “But be sure to check the total travel time and factor in potential layover durations,” she says. 

It’s also worth noting Las Vegas’ main airport, Harry Reid International Airport, is considered one of the cheapest in America, according to a 2022 analysis from CivMetrics . 

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Unbeknownst to many — especially first-time visitors — Las Vegas offers plenty of free activities , which means you can save your money in hopes of winning big at the casino.

“At the Bellagio, you can see the fountain show and Conservatory & Botanical Gardens ,” says DePesa.

Alternatively, catch the volcano eruption at the Mirage or check out the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat , “a quiet oasis home to koi fish, turtles, birds, and a flock of Chilean flamingos.” The Fremont Street Experience has free live music, Silverton Casino features a complimentary aquarium with thousands of tropical fish, and Circus Circus offers exhilarating acts. Travelers can also visit Ethel M Chocolates for free self-guided factory tours; afterward, explore the three-acre botanical garden, which boasts more than 300 species of flora. Other no-cost attractions include The Arts Factory , the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art , and the quirky Pinball Hall of Fame .

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Feds called in to assist Mica Miller investigation

by Courtney Rowles

ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WPDE) — The Robeson County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that it had requested assistance from the United States Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in South Carolina in the Mica Miller investigation.

In a statement released Monday, the sheriff's office said they have been in contact with both agencies since the early stages of the investigation.

The statement reads:

The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office has been in contact with the United States Attorney’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation in South Carolina since the early stages of the Mica Miller investigation. Based on the information gathered during the investigation and jurisdiction reasons, the Sheriff’s Office has requested the assistance of both agencies. No other information will be released at this time. Anyone with information pertaining to the Miller investigation in South Carolina is asked to contact the Columbia, SC FBI Office at 803-551-4200.

Mica Miller died by suicide on April 27 at the Lumber River State Park in Robeson County.

Last week, the sheriff's office released the 911 call, security footage and a timeline of events that detailed the day Mica died.

ABC15 MICA MILLER COVERAGE:

• Cause of death for Myrtle Beach pastor's wife, Mica Miller, revealed
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J.T. Miller’s genius, stout defence and why Quinn Hughes will bounce back: Canucks notebook

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vancouver Canucks didn’t generate much, but they won Game 3.

What they created offensively was meagre. J.T. Miller called it a “one-and-done game” for his line, and the team as a whole registered just 12 shots on goal.

What they actually put on the scoreboard, however, and what they were actually able to generate on a night when the breakout got bogged down and they were pinned constantly in their own end of the rink, almost all of it came directly off Miller’s stick.

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The Canucks had 13 scoring chances total on Friday night on Broadway, according to the PDOcast’s Dimitri Filipovic . Five of those scoring chances were personally taken by Miller. He also set up four more.

On a night when Vancouver won to come within two favourable results of the conference semifinal, Miller led the way, was the team’s heartbeat and was essentially the club’s entire offence.

No, it wasn’t a Ryan Kesler-like beast-mode performance, but Miller put the team on his back.

“I can’t say enough great things about him,” said Ian Cole of Miller’s performance and impact. “He’s one of our emotional leaders, he’s one of our elite players and we’re fortunate to have a lot of them. He’s a guy that everyone looks to to lift this team. He gets fiery, he’s not afraid to say what’s on his mind, but everyone knows it comes from a place of wanting to win and pushing himself and everyone around him to be the best they can be. You may get some feathers ruffled in the process, but everyone respects how he does it.”

While Miller is often at his most noticeable when he’s using his big frame and his elite first step to make loud plays — protecting the puck, making power forward moves, throwing bone-rattling hits — what makes him special and what won Game 3 for Vancouver is the quiet stuff that’s a product of what rests between Miller’s ears.

The cerebral nature of his game, and especially the way he thinks and executes on the power play.

On Friday, Miller played off a new weapon on Vancouver’s first power-play unit. Brock Boeser has been a fixture there all season, but on Friday, as the club swapped Conor Garland and Elias Lindholm on the unit, Boeser went back to the net front.

It’s a position Boeser was originally moved to during the 2019-20 season. He was dislodged from the left flank, in part, as a result of Miller’s dual-threat mastery of playing his downhill side in the 1-3-1 formation.

It wasn’t always a good fit, or a spot Boeser was happy to play. He’d been a productive goal scorer on the flank, and Vancouver’s power play cooked opponents regularly during that 2019-20 campaign with Boeser and Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson lined up on the outside of the 1-3-1.

With Bo Horvat ’s genius-level finishing in the bumper, Hughes’ signal calling from the point, Pettersson’s one-timer reliably exerting gravity on penalty killers whether he’s scoring or not and Miller’s maestro act from that left flank, Boeser had to find a way to fit in. That meant figuring out how to play the net front, both as a distributor and as a screener.

It’s the latter part of Boeser’s net-front learning experience in which he leaned on Miller, a net-front fixture in his first several months with the Canucks and during his formative time with the Tampa Bay Lightning .

Among his Canucks teammates, Miller is famous for his relentless consumption of film. His donnish attention to detail. His hunger to find whatever edge he can.

Miller took Boeser under his wing, and taught him how to be more effective in layering traffic. Boeser did the work, but Miller played a crucial role in helping to mold his linemate into the screener he needed on Friday night.

If you watch Miller’s goal from Friday, the amount of nuance that creates the critical opening marker is astounding.

J.T. Miller scores on the Canucks first shot of the game! That power play goal puts Vancouver up 1-0! #Canucks | #Preds 📽️: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/I8xMerlixq — CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 27, 2024

The first thing to note is that Miller took the shot twice before beating Juuse Saros . The first time he tries it he misses just wide, with Boeser smartly providing a flash screen (a flash screen is when a screener passes briefly through the goalie’s eye line, ideally timing the flash screen to obscure the goalie’s view of the shooter’s release). When the puck comes back to him, there’s no hesitation. He’s spamming the shot, and it’s a read based on how Nashville’s penalty kill is defending.

If the Predators were in a wider diamond formation on the penalty kill, this shot wouldn’t be there. There’d be a penalty-killing forward fronting the shooting lane.

On this sequence, however, the Predators are in what’s usually called a “wedge plus-one” formation, which is far more compressed, and we know Miller recognizes that because he’s looking to get this shot off in multiple instances.

Go watch the goal again, because the level of recognition is incredible. Absolutely elite. Genius-level stuff.

As Boeser and Lindholm rotate following the Predators’ fatal failure to clear the puck, Boeser settles in right in Saros’ grill. It’s a more classic, stationary screen.

Miller is already moving to shoot as Boeser gets in position, but what Miller is really reading here is Saros. The way this shot works best is when the rival goaltender looks left around the screen, and Miller times his release perfectly. He’s quite literally, in the heat of the moment, reading Saros and anticipating that he’ll look the wrong way around Boeser, opening up that top corner. Then the finish is pitch perfect.

“Those don’t go in without him,” Miller said of Boeser’s screen. “I’m shooting about the top of the circle normally and we’ve scored on that plenty of times over the years. He’s getting really good at making the goalie, when I release it, look at his back. He’s too good to score on if he’s not there … He’s going to catch it if he sees it, it’s a great play by Brock.”

This isn’t just a sick wrist shot by a world-class sniper, although Miller is capable of overpowering even elite NHL netminders with his shot. This is a goal that’s the product of years of study and repetition and thought. A thinking man’s power-play goal.

It’s a goal helped out by years of support that Miller lent to a sometimes-hesitant teammate, helping him reinvent himself as a power-play threat and ultimately maintain a regular spot on the first power-play unit. It was an involved and not-always smooth process that the two Canucks forwards were comfortable enough now to joke about postgame:

Quinn Hughes, hits and the struggling breakout

Hughes isn’t just remarkably gifted with the puck, he’s a master at escaping heavy contact. On most nights he seems untouchable.

It doesn’t matter how ferociously a forechecker is hounding him, or how well a forward has him lined up, Hughes has an uncanny ability to spin off checks and duck big hits. One hundred seventy-five NHL defencemen have logged 2,500 minutes over the last three seasons and Hughes ranks in the top 50 in absorbing the fewest hits per 60 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick. That matters for durability when you’re an undersized defenceman.

In Game 3, the Predators ruthlessly targeted Hughes. That’s unsurprising — teams have been chasing him relentlessly for a while and you’d expect an even brighter spotlight on Vancouver’s captain in the playoffs.

The surprise is that Nashville actually punished him. Over and over again. From the game’s first shift, Nashville’s fourth line set the tone by delivering heavy hits on Hughes and Filip Hronek , making it difficult for them to break the puck out. Colton Sissons tagged Hughes for a big hit late in the first period.

It wasn’t only that Nashville delivered bone-crushing hits. It’s that the Preds bumped and bruised him on seemingly every other shift, with Hughes struggling to get out of the way.

Hughes lacked his usual poise and escapability and struggled to make clean zone exits. He didn’t have his usually dashing rushes or gorgeous outlet passes. At one point in the game, Hughes was chased behind the net and opted to rim the puck up the wall, where another Nashville player was already waiting, instead of making a high-level controlled play like he normally would.

Hughes has tilted the ice in Vancouver’s favour by an absurd margin this season. But in Game 3, Nashville had a 16-8 edge in shot attempts and a 9-3 edge in five-on-five scoring chances during Hughes’ shifts. The Canucks’ transition game falls apart when their unstoppable one-man breakout machine all of a sudden looks human.

“I think our breakout strategy, partly we can hold up some players but I also think Huggy, there’s some things he can do so he doesn’t get hit too,” Rick Tocchet said after the game. “I think it’s a two-way street.”

Tocchet also pointed out that Nashville made adjustments to its transition game and that he wasn’t a fan of the Canucks’ neutral zone defence. He said that if they shore up their neutral zone defence, it’ll give their blueliners like Hughes more time to break the puck out on defensive zone retrievals.

Hughes is such an exceptional player that he should bounce back. He’s also not the only star player taking a beating; Roman Josi has absorbed a couple of massive hits from Nikita Zadorov over the last two games.

But Nashville got to Hughes in a way that few teams have this year. It’ll be fascinating to see how Hughes and the Canucks respond in Game 4 because he’s the engine for them to start controlling play again.

How the Canucks actually limited Nashville

Based on the flow of play and shots on goal, you’d assume that the Predators were throttling the Canucks at even strength. Nashville spent most of the game in Vancouver’s zone, dominated puck possession and had a lopsided 25-7 edge in five-on-five shots. Despite all of that, the high-danger chances were only 5-3 in Nashville’s favour at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. It’s wild that the Canucks limited the damage to just five high-danger chances against, which is a massive credit to the club’s defensive zone structure.

“That’s one of the parts of our DNA as a team is make the goalies play half the net, protect the middle,” said Miller. “When it gets loud and crazy you just do your job and stay in your structure. We don’t have to do anybody else’s job, we don’t have to go rogue and tonight, I thought we had tons of sticks in the middle of the rink.

“It’s frustrating for the other team because you want to get to the interior and playoff hockey is about denying that.”

Nashville was constantly seeking east-west passing plays to set up backdoor tap-ins but the Canucks’ defencemen broke those up. Vancouver’s big blueliners like Zadorov, Cole, Carson Soucy and Tyler Myers also did an excellent job of boxing out, winning net-front battles and blocking shots. They used their long reach whenever possible to break up the cycle down low.

Vancouver’s forwards were fully bought in too. Here’s an example of a play where Pius Suter came racing on the backcheck to break up a slot chance off the rush.

(Courtesy Sportsnet and Bik Nizzar ) 

The Canucks need to improve their overall play control, but it’s pivotal that they have a rock-solid defensive foundation to gut out unglamorous wins on occasion too.

Rick Tocchet’s message

Postgame we asked Tocchet about what it means to him to have some of his top-of-the-lineup stars like Miller and Boeser step up in a game like this, with Thatcher Demko out, coming off a loss in Game 2.

His answer was telling, and focused specifically on contributions other than offensive ones.

“If you look at the Conn Smythe winner last year, Jonathan Marchessault , he didn’t score the first six games,” Tocchet said. “I think when Chicago won their Cups, I think Jonathan Toews didn’t score for eight games. Star guys are going to (go through that), but if you watch them they stick with it.

“You have to have other parts of your game. So that’s our guys and they’re learning. If you’re not scoring offensively, you’ve got to make sure you’re good in other parts of your game. Then today Millsy and Brock have a good game for us.

“That’s just a lesson for our guys, whoever, that’s struggling. Make sure the other parts of your game are really good and eventually the offence will come.”

On another night in which Pettersson was mostly quiet — he had a slick setup for Nils Höglander that forced Saros to make an excellent save — it’s hard not to read between the lines and understand who Tocchet has in mind with that particular message.

(Photo of Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller celebrating a goal during Game 3 in Nashville: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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