Nashville’s next big country star may be right here at Iowa State.

Neil Hewitt, sophomore in agricultural studies, will be performing and having a CD release party at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Ames City Auditorium, 520 6th St.

Hewitt is promoting his new album, “Roll the Dice.” His album consists of a number of country songs, including two Hewitt wrote himself.

Hewitt recorded this album last November in Nashville, Tenn. when a talent scout introduced him to Gary Sadker, president of Red Ridge Entertainment, Inc.

The album was recorded at a number of studios in Music Row, a well-known area in downtown Nashville consisting of hundreds of businesses related to country music. In addition, Neil was accompanied on his album by some of Nashville’s finest musicians.

“I like the thrill of getting to work with people who are really good at what they do, like they are in Nashville. I’ve been lucky to work with some of the best people in the business, and that’s what I like to do so it keeps it really exciting,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt said his interest in country music began as a child when his uncle would come over to his house with his mandolin and the two of them would play and sing every night until he moved.

Years later when he was about 11 years old, Hewitt said he went to a church camp and adopted an interest in the guitar after seeing his counselors play.

From there, Hewitt said, he started taking guitar lessons at Ames Music studios, 2010 Northwestern Ave., from Al Biela.

Biela said Hewitt stood out from the rest of his students and had something special that the others didn’t have.

“I could tell that Neil came from a different mold because he was really into country music, and everyone else in middle school was into rock. He stood out right away as a guy with a mind of his own. Neil did something that’s very important to becoming successful. He started looking at the end point of where he wanted to get to. I just don’t see many kids as young as Neil thinking and acting that way,” Biela said.

Hewitt said his first real performance was in his 8th grade talent show. Because of the positive feedback, he started to get requests to play other venues around Nevada. The more he played, the more requests he got, he said.

When Hewitt got into high school, he started playing much bigger venues including a variety of county fairs around Iowa and Northern Missouri.

He also has played at the Iowa State Fair the last three years and is scheduled to play next year’s fair as well. Where ever Hewitt went to play, he said he took along his two biggest fans — his parents.

“The best part of it for us is the music that we enjoy. It makes it an awful lot easier, because we do a lot of traveling and he plays a lot of places in Iowa and Missouri and if it wasn’t something that we really enjoyed, it would make it a lot more difficult to pursue. It’s been fun that way,” said Eric Gabrielson, Hewitt’s step-father.

Hewitt said his music is influenced by a number of popular artists including Johnny Cash and Travis Tritt. Hewitt’s tracks vary from love songs to songs about normal life; some are upbeat and some are slow. One song on his newest CD is about taking chances in life.

Hewitt said when he writes a new song, he looks for issues that relate to him and others, too.

He also said the time it takes to design a track varies. Some songs just come to him right away, he said, and some of his songs he wrote in pieces over a lengthy period of time.

However Hewitt does it, many people love his music and believe this is what he was meant to do.

“He knows it’s going to be a tough road, but he is very realistic about it and is a real perfectionist. I think he will always be into music to some degree,” said Sandy Gabrielson, Hewitt’s mother.