Nashville is known a town of songwriters. And the songwriters there are known for a specific kind of song: story telling.
That's why a new program, Songwriting with Soldiers, airing tonight on public television stations across the nation, has touched an emotional chord in the music industry. It brings together Nashville's best songwriters with combat veterans, writing and performing songs that tell their stories.
The one hour concert, Songwriting with Soldiers, airs at 10 p.m. ET on PBS. It was filmed in August at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
The concert features musicians performing original songs written with service veterans through SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a nonprofit organization co-founded in 2012 by program director Mary Judd and creative director Darden Smith. The program transforms lives through weekend retreats and workshops that pair veterans with professional songwriters to craft songs about combat and the transition home.
Songwriters performing on the special include Bonnie Bishop, Gary Burr, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Radney Foster, Mary Gauthier, James House, Will Kimbrough, Georgia Middleman, Gary Nicholson, Maia Sharp, and Darden Smith.
"It would be hard to find a stronger expression of the power of art to transform lives,” said Executive Director Kristin Starling. “We hope this concert will help build bridges between military and civilian populations, and we are encouraging supporters to host viewing parties to help raise awareness and understanding."
Songwriting With Soldiers has held nearly 50 weekend retreats for about 530 veterans, service members, and their families, and produced over 400 songs to date. The songs are professionally recorded and participants are registered as co-writers with the American Society of A Composers, Authors and Publishers. The songs can also be streamed for free. An album of music written in the program, Rifles and Rosary Beads, released by artist Mary Gauthier, was nominated for a GRAMMY Award last year.
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Reach Julia LeDoux: Julia@connectingvets.com
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