Moving to a new city always comes with a learning curve — and for the J.W. Couch Foundation, settling into the greater Nashville area meant discovering fresh ways to plug into a vibrant local community. It didn't take long to find the perfect rhythm. In a place affectionately known as Music City, partnering around music felt less like a choice and more like a calling.
That calling led us to The Pilgrimage Foundation, the philanthropic heart of the celebrated Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin, Tennessee. In 2017, we proudly contributed a grant to fund a scholarship to the Dark Horse Institute — a chance for one aspiring artist to step into the career of their dreams.
Where Music Meets Mission
The Pilgrimage Festival has quickly become one of the South's most beloved multi-genre music events, drawing thousands of fans and headline acts like Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Jack White, and Eddie Vedder. But beyond the stages and the sold-out crowds lies something even more meaningful: a foundation committed to giving back to the community that makes the music possible.
The Dark Horse Institute, a Nashville-based school recognized among the Top 10 Audio Engineering, Music Production, and Music Business programs in America, was a natural fit. With hands-on training, state-of-the-art facilities, and award-winning instructors, Dark Horse equips emerging professionals to thrive in one of the most competitive industries on earth — whether they're producing pop tracks, managing artists, or running record labels.
Sponsoring a scholarship to make this caliber of education more accessible to new students? It instantly made sense.Sean Couch, President & Co-Trustee, J.W. Couch Foundation
A Fateful Ride Through Music City
The scholarship was awarded through a drawing at the Pilgrimage Festival itself — and the story of its winner reads like a song lyric waiting to be written.
Her name is Haylie Sampsel. While visiting Nashville, Haylie struck up a conversation with her Uber driver about her lifelong passion for music. As fate would have it, her driver was a Dark Horse Institute alumnus. Intrigued, Haylie visited the campus — and fell head over heels for the school and everything it offered.
But like so many talented young people chasing a creative dream, reality stood in the way. Existing student loans from her undergraduate degree put Dark Horse just out of reach.
Then came Pilgrimage. Then came the drawing. Then came the moment her name was called.
Turning Dreams Into Careers
Through Dark Horse Institute's Audio Engineering Program, students learn to produce, record, mix, and master music across every genre imaginable. Its Music Business Program trains future artist managers, booking agents, studio owners, publishers, and record label executives. Since the school's founding, it has helped students from cities across the country launch real careers in the industry they love.
For Haylie, the scholarship wasn't just tuition — it was permission to pursue what she always knew she was meant to do. It was the bridge between a chance Uber conversation and a future in the music industry.
The Power of Aligned Giving
This is the magic that happens when partners align around shared values. The Pilgrimage Foundation channels the energy of an iconic festival into causes that ripple far beyond a weekend of concerts — supporting Friends of Franklin Parks, MusiCares, the American Red Cross, mentoring initiatives, and scholarships like this one. The J.W. Couch Foundation is honored to amplify that work.
One grant. One scholarship. One student. And one more reminder that when communities invest in dreams, those dreams have a way of making music we all get to hear.
