Country musicians mix music and message at college campuses

Jenny and Blake Marvin want college students to learn from their mistakes.

“Jaywalking changed my life forever,” Blake tearfully explained. “I spent 18 months in therapy, and the college didn’t even pay my tuition.”

Blake was a sophomore at the University of Northern Colorado when he was jaywalking across a busy street to get to class. But then the worst thing possible happened. The heel of one of Marvin’s bright red Tony Llama cowboy boots became stuck in a crack in the pavement.

“I paid a lot for those boots. I wasn’t going to let one get run over by the oncoming bus.” As Blake struggled and failed to free his prized boot, the bus hit the breaks too late to avert disaster.

Marvin broke both legs in three places, and his one foot was crushed by the tire of the bus. Not to mention his ribs were graphically pushed backward and protruded out of his back in multiple places.

It was obviously a long road to recovery for Blake and took a toll on his relationship with Jenny, but they made it through.

The Marvins added that they spent all of their meager savings on the lawyer to try and fight for payment of Blake’s tuition. In the end, they lost their case and had to foreclose on their Denver, Colorado home.

“The University of Northern Colorado said that because it was never explicitly stated in any of their official policies that they would pay the tuition of a student maimed by a motor vehicle on their campus, they weren’t obligated to do so.”

Blake’s wife, Jenny, was clearly still upset about the injustice. “Apparently, because it was a ‘myth,’ they didn’t feel like doing the right thing.”

The Marvins are not bitter people. They are compassionate people who want others to learn from their harrowing experience.

Also, they were completely bankrupt after losing their court case and needed a source of income.

Blake and Jenny formed Two Way Crossing and began touring college campuses. They quickly rose to success with their brand of country, blending flavors of Billy Ray Cyrus and the Partridge Family.

For Blake, the music comes second, “When a student comes up to me at a show and tearfully tells me that we’ve changed their lives, that is what it is really all about.”