Singer-songwriter Damien Horne was raised in North Carolina and first pursued his musical career in earnest in California, but Nashville is where he finally found his groove and real success. That’s where he fell in with the MuzikMafia crowd, the eclectic songwriter/artist circle best known for spawning country music superstars Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson. In fact, it was Big & Rich’s own John Rich who invited Horne into the MuzikMafia family and ended up producing his 2008 album, Somebody’s Hero — a collection of soulful, rock-infused R&B that proves Music City, U.S.A., has a lot more to offer than just country. Like Horne’s previous album, 2005’s Mista D, Somebody’s Hero showcases Horne’s knack for catchy pop hooks and for writing lyrics with a distinctly uplifting message. He put both to good use earlier this year when he was commissioned to write and record “She Can Play,” the theme song for the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball league.