Jordan Shipley sings a Sunny song

AUSTIN (KXAN) - We know his moves. Now, we're getting to know Jordan Shipley's voice. You can thank Sunny Shipley for that.

The two married last year, after an engagement during Jordan's rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals, but they've known each other since age 13.  Sunny secured a foothold in the Nashville music scene by co-writing "Oh, Tonight" with the Josh Abbott Band. Now, she's making some sweet music with a more personal partner.

"We're always writing together," Sunny said of her collaboration with Jordan. "I have an album coming out in January. Jordan has some co-writes on that album, and he also plays some instruments on it, too."

One song, in particular, carries a double meaning. In part of "Don't Let Me Sink," Sunny sings, "I am bruised but not broken. I am thirsty but not parched. So, I will still cross the river. Won't let nothin' destroy my heart."

"We wrote it because we kind of had a tough first year of marriage," said Sunny. "We had a really bad wreck, Jordan got injured and it was just one of those things where you're like, 'Everything can go wrong, but we are so blessed.'"

And they hope the song will bless others. Sunny and Jordan are donating the proceeds to Texas-based Holden Uganda, an organization that builds freshwater wells for African communities.

"They donated a well in memory of my sister," said Sunny. "Haley -- she passed away when she was 15.  When something like that happens, it's really hard on your family. Anything that gives your family hope, you just appreciate so much. That's what Holden Uganda did for us. We just thought that was really special and wanted to give back to them and help them out."

The songwriting is helping Jordan as well, after a rocky start to his NFL career. An ACL tear in September 2011 healed slower than expected, and he was buried on the Cincinnati depth chart. 

He's now a free agent after being briefly picked up and dropped by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this September.

"To come home and kind of have that to wind down in the evenings -- I think that's why I started doing it: a good healthy distraction," Jordan said. "Sunny is a great songwriter. To have that to share with her has been special."

"Don't Let Me Sink" is on iTunes, and Sunny's EP -- or extended play -- is selling at Waterloo Records in Austin.