Liam St. John, a rising singer-songwriter in the blues-rock music scene, is scheduled to headline CougFest 2024 on September 6th on WSU’s Thompson Flats. The event, organized by the WSU Student Events Board (SEB), will feature a beer garden and food provided by Munchies at 5:00 PM with music starting at 5:30 PM.

St. John, who recently signed with Big Loud Rock in Los Angeles, released his first EP with the label, Believer, on June 28th, 2024. Greg Thompson, Partner and President of Big Loud Rock, highlighted the significance of this signing, stating, “His unique musical style and passion for rock music at its roots gives Big Loud Rock its next chapter in our ever-evolving story to celebrate rock music.”

Before committing to a career in music, St. John was heavily involved in sports and academics. He attended Whitworth University, where he earned a degree in marketing while competing as a track & field athlete. After completing his MBA and coaching the university’s track team, St. John transitioned into a marketing career. Despite his professional success, he eventually chose to pursue music full-time.

In June 2022, St. John released his debut full-length album, Stripped Back, which reached #1 on the Apple Music Top Blues Albums chart globally. This was followed by a 67-city nationwide tour. A year later, his second album, All The Bad Things, also achieved significant success. In late 2022, St. John signed his first publishing deal with King Pen Music through Warner Chappell.

CougFest 2024 will also feature performances by Blaine Andrew Ross & The Contraband Cowboys, a honky-tonk country-western band from the Palouse region, and Madeline Hawthorne, a singer-songwriter from Bozeman, Montana. 

More information on the event can be found at https://seb.wsu.edu/home/. Admission is free.