I signed up for SongwritingWith:Soldiers because I’m a good writer – of stories. But I didn’t think I could write a song. The email a friend sent said, “come to the Nashville retreat,” but I am not a songwriter? I almost didn’t go, until a last minute phone call convinced me. Turns out writing a Hit Song is not what it’s about. They pair you up with a professional singer/songwriter who guides you and then performs your song. This mentor constructs the song about your experience as a veteran. OK, let’s do this! Arriving at the SWS Retreat were six other veterans in our group. We each got a pr ..read more

All life happens between an inhale and an exhale… Admittedly, I did not come up with that quote. I found it printed on the inside of a chocolate wrapper at a SW:S retreat. I saved the wrapper, thinking I’d add it to my journal, but months later, I found it at the bottom of my bag, begging to be reread. Seeing the quote again got me thinking about how many participants needed to take a deep breath before stepping through the doors to a retreat. How many have felt numb inside but still held on to a sliver of hope? How many people could live happier lives if they knew it’s as simple as breathin ..read more

NASHVILLE, TN (August 1, 2022) – SongwritingWith:Soldiers (SW:S) has announced a slate of concerts in New York, NY; Boston, MA; and Luckenbach, TX to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The three shows will feature hit songwriters including Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman, Maia Sharp, and Will Kimbrough among others. Veterans who inspired and helped write the songs will also be onsite at each show. The third concert in the series, held in the iconic Luckenbach venue will be held on Veteran’s Day and will feature a VIP preshow and reserved seating. The shows are open to the public and tickets are no ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THE V3GATE FOUNDATION HOSTS SONGWRITINGWITH:SOLDIERS FUNDRAISER NASHVILLE, TN (January 10, 2023) – The V3Gate Foundation, whose primary goal is to support the U.S. military community and other charitable organizations, hosted a fundraiser on December 14 for SongwritingWith:Soldiers in Austin, TX at a local establishment. The event brought in over $17,500 from all of the donors. SongwritingWith:Soldiers holds weekend retreats across the U.S. for veterans from all conflicts. Since 2012, the nonprofit organization has connected with thousands of veterans and military familie ..read more

Nashville, TN – March 19, 2024 – SongwritingWith:Soldiers is pleased to announce the addition of three board members, Pepper Evans, Suzanne Hogan, and Collin McMillan. Evans, Hogan, and McMillan will lend their expertise to further the organization’s mission of transforming lives through collaborative songwriting. Evans is a senior marketing executive with experience leading teams and launching new products for American Express, Capital One, and UnitedHealth Group. She has received multiple awards for her work, including Chairman’s Award for Innovation and President’s Leadership Award at Ameri ..read more

The power of music is undeniable. Sharing music with others gives it even greater power, and using it to create an emotional connection between returning service members and civilians is critical to what we do. At every retreat, participants leave with their own unique song and two group songs. These songs are not just a collection of lyrics and melodies; they are a reflection of the deep emotions and experiences that participants have endured. Former participants, and peer support, Teresa and Floyd Howes beautifully captured the essence of sharing the songs when they said, “The SVV:S commun ..read more

One of the most powerful things about making connections is that they continue to bear fruit long after the seeds are sown and can crop up in unexpected places. A remarkable example of this is how longtime SW:S supporter, Danette (Kelly) Smith, reconnected with her middle school classmates, co-founders Mary Judd and Darden Smith. Like them, she had moved away and fallen out of touch after graduation until years later when she heard about SongwritingWith:Soldiers and wanted to find out more. When Danette learned about an upcoming retreat in Belton, Texas, she reached out and asked how she cou ..read more

There is strength that comes with working collaboratively. It requires opening your mind and heart to different realities and possibilities. This requires comfort with uncertainty; in its essence, building partnerships is a creative process. This is at the core of SongwritingWith:Soldiers. Our partnerships make the sum greater than its parts. By working with the EOD Warrior Foundation and Boulder Crest Foundation, SongwritingWith:Soldiers is part of a broader network of organizations dedicated to supporting veterans. Together we we know that our partnership is making a real difference. Worki ..read more

“This profoundly changed my life and I can’t put my finger on exactly what it was. I guess maybe just knowing that I could express myself in a way that’s musical, or you know, just taking that layer of sludge off the top…and that just wears it down until you’re able to function more…I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for SongwritingWith:Soldiers.” — Michelle Roberts, US Army You may remember Michelle Roberts from our previous Reflections book, how she wrote “Five Reasons” with Bonnie Bishop and found a renewed appreciation for life at our 2018 Colorado retreat. In 2019, Michelle returned ..read more

Tyler Magerkurth, West Point Class of 2010 Graduate, Division 1 College Tennis Varsity Letter Winner, High School State Champion, social club leader, and my son, came back from his US Army deployment in Afghanistan in 2013, a changed man. Why? Why would one of the happiest, emotionally sound and positive people, come back from war feeling like nothing he did was good enough? During Tyler’s deployment, he served as a platoon leader in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Part of the job included leading his team on numerous missions all over Afghanistan assisting with the closure of 27 outl ..read more