Ron Pope - Ron Pope & the Nighthawks (2016)

New York City-based singer/songwriter Ron Pope makes heartfelt, melodic pop. Hailing from Marietta, Georgia, Pope began singing and playing guitar seriously while a member of various bands in high school. However, after high school, Pope attended Rutgers University on a baseball scholarship before an injury curtailed his sports career. In 2003, Pope transferred to New York University, where he began focusing on his music interests. It was during this time that he began jamming with Zach Berkman and Paul Hammer, and eventually formed the band the District. The District went on to tour the country and release several albums before Pope decided to focus on his solo career. In 2008, Pope released his debut full-length album, Daylight. He then followed up with three more independent releases in 2009: The Bedroom Demos, Goodbye, Goodnight, and Hello, Love. Also in 2009, Pope signed a recording contract with Universal Republic and released the singles "I Believe" and "A Drop in the Ocean," the latter of which became an Internet sensation, tallying up over 30 million views. After parting ways with Universal Republic, Pope released several more well-received independent albums, including 2010's The New England Sessions, 2011's Whatever It Takes, 2012's Atlanta, and 2012's Monster. In 2014, Pope returned with his ninth solo album, Calling Off the Dogs