A BROTHER MARINE AND SAILOR SINGS ANOTHER SORT OF SOULFUL HYMN

A BROTHER MARINE AND SAILOR SINGS ANOTHER SORT OF SOULFUL HYMN 
By Andy Weddington
Thursday, 05 July 2018

Trauma is hell on earth. Trauma resolved is a gift from the gods. Peter A. Levine

A couple of weeks ago Albuquerque, New Mexico's premier band - Higher Ground Bluegrass - returned to The Kitchen Sink Recording Studio in Santa Fe to sit with engineer Jono Manson and record a new single. 

Award-winning director Thom Eberhardt was on hand to video the making. 

Yesterday, Independence Day, the band released the music video - 'Put My Mind At Ease' 

The music will be available for purchase in August.

In short, the song emerged from a PTSD songwriting workshop and notes taken during a lengthy interview with a Vietnam veteran. 

The lyrics are a collaborative effort by Felix Rodriguez, Jose Antonio Pence, Daniel Johnsen, and my brother (Marine and Sailor - Fighter/Attack pilot) Ken "Duke" Weddington.

Duke wrote the music. 

And plays guitar while singing lead.

The band recorded the song to raise public awareness about PTSD and to raise funds to help veterans.

The lyrics ...


Verse
You taught me how to be a soldier, I was proud to serve
I did my time in country, saw good men die and worse
But you never taught me how to come home, how to live a normal life
How to be a father, or a husband to my wife

When I went off to fight your war, there was chaos, anxious fear
But when my time was up, I came home to anger, hate filled stares
The world painted a picture of a young and vengeful man
And ignored the pain and horror I saw in the foreign land

Chorus
Tell my brothers I remembered them, heal their wounds that can't be seen
It's a daily battle from anger to tears of pain, a fight to put my mind at ease

Verse
For years I walked in the shadows, couldn't find a guiding light
Isolation gave me shelter, I kept hiding in plain sight
I'm haunted by the cries of those who never made it home
Though prayer provides some solace, I still can't let those memories go


CD cover art, too, created by a Marine (retired). 

Music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqEg-hfu9bk


Beautiful work!, Jono and Thom and Higher Ground Bluegrass. Bravo!

And so the rather impromptu project - from, by, and for America's veterans - comes together. 

As the CD jacket back tells ...

A song supporting our Veterans and their plight with PTSD

Please ...

Watch. 

Listen.

Share - far and wide - for this effort merits national exposure.

For more about the band visit: www.highergroundbluegrass.com

Thank you!