The Last Thing We Ever Do: Warrior Songs Vol. 3

“The Last Thing We Ever Do: Warrior Songs Vol. 3”
Project synopsis
Releasing 08/08/2021 – Turner Hall Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI
(56th Anniversary of the Gulf of Tolkien Resolution)

 Introduction
Warrior Songs is pleased to announce “The Last Thing We Ever Do: Warrior Songs Vol. 3”, is the next in our compilation CD series of Veterans stories turned into songs.  Releasing Sunday, August 8th,  2021 - WSv3 will explore the experiences of Vietnam era Veterans.  The CD that will feature 15 songs created by professional songwriters from the 1st hand testimony of Vietnam Era Veterans, brought to life by professional studio musicians.  Copies of the CDs are made available to Veterans and Veteran non-profits free of charge. 

Background
Warrior Songs Inc. is a 501.c.3 nonprofit that walks Veterans to their healing through music and the creative arts.  Founded in 2011 by award winning singer/songwriter and Iraq War combat Veteran Jason Moon.  Shortly after its founding, Warrior Songs began collecting the testimonies of Veterans for its flagship program “Story to Song”.  “Story to Song” transforms the first hand testimony of Veterans into songs through a collaborative effort with professional songwriters.  We release these songs biennial on themed compilations CDs

“If You Have to Ask… Warrior Songs Vol. 1” released in 2016 and features the stories from a wide array of Veterans.  On WSV1, forty-two Veterans contributed testimony, sixteen songwriters wrote tracks for the album, forty-six musicians participated in recording sessions, and sound engineers at eight studios captured the magic.

“Women at War: Warrior Songs Vol. 2” released in 2018 and represents the first time in the history of modern music that a full length CD was created from the testimony of Women Veterans.  Eighteen Women Veterans and two Gold Star family members supplied heart wrenching testimony. Seventeen talented songwriters and sixty-four professional musicians brought the songs to life. Thirteen engineers, working in recording studios across five states created the final recordings.  In total, “Warrior Songs Vol. 2: Women at War” was produced by the collaboration of 95 deeply caring people, of which forty-nine were Women.  “Women at War” won the Wisconsin Area Music Award Album of the Year for 2019.


“Veterans of Color: Warrior Songs Vol. 4” is in the planning phase and is scheudled for a 2023 release.  By 2030 we hope to release Vol. 1 through Vol. 10 as a full “box set”.  Vol. 5 – 10 planned themes are: “Family, Friends, and Support”, “Native and Indigenous Voices”, “Injured and Disabled Veterans”, “Rainbow Warriors/LGBTQ , “Tales from the Combat Zone”, and “Women Veterans of Color”.  A supplementary 11th volume will explore the experiences of survivors of US wars. 

Time frame
Production of the CD is 75% complete with 5 of the 15 songs recorded in the studio.  Testimony collection began back in 2015.  Songwriting collaborations began early 2018 and continue through today.  Studio recording sessions are also underway and will continue until March 2021. Final mixing, mastering, and critical review will take place from March to May 2021.  Post-production and promotion until June 2021.  The final compilation will release at a CD launch party, Sunday, August 8th, 2021 at Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee Wisconsin.  2pm to 6pm.  $10.00 for civilians, free for veterans.  All receive a complimentary copy of the CD.  Mental health support will be on hand as will local veterans resource groups.  The event will feature performances by various contributing Veterans and recording artists.

Budget and funding
The budget to create “The Last Thing We Ever Do: Warrior Songs Vol. 3” is $30,000.  This will allow us to record all 15 songs as well as pressing and distributing 2500 physical CD’s.  A line item budget is attached at the end of this document.  The project is designed to be funded by grants, individual donations, and Vietnam Veteran non-profit/advocacy group support.  After the original 2500 stock is depleted, additional copies will be funded and distributed through Warrior Songs “Free CD Distribution” program.

Distribution
Since 2011 Warrior Songs has distributed over 45,000 copies of the CD’s we create.  This music is available free of charge as a digital download at our website, www.warriorsongs.org.  Digital copies are also available for sale at iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and all major online music distributers.  Physical copies are mailed to Veterans free of charge and can be requested through our website.  They are also distributed to Veterans we encounter at the numerus outreach events we attend.  Large quantity bulk shipments to VA Hospitals, Vet Centers, and legitimate Veteran supporting non-profits are also provided free of charge or at cost. 

Topics and Talent
The following is a sampling of some of the songs that are in development. 

Doug Bradley, author of “We Gotta Get out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War” – Rolling Stones Music Book of the Year 2015, has agreed to create a song about the importance music played in the Veteran experience.  Jake Froelke of American Feedbag is creating Doug’s song. 

Richard “Breezy” Brzeski, an instructor with Vets Journey Home, is working on a song of encouragement to those enduring PTSD.

Warrior Songs founder Jason Moon joined Chuck Theusch’s Children’s Library International on their 20 year anniversary trip to Vietnam to create “Seeds of Peace”, a song about the importance of reconciliation work in healing moral injury.  The recording is Warrior Songs first multi-national effort.  Renowned conductor of The United Saigon Orchestra, Son Mach, just completed recordings in Saigon and Da Nang.  Vietnamese school children sang the lead vocals.   The song will be completed in Madison, Wisconsin with traditional American instruments and a local student choir.  You can view a photo video of a very rough first draft recording made in Vietnam at this link. https://youtu.be/AklhLpXxhVg

Veteran and musician Katie and Jesse Frewerd created a song with Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative co-founder Mark Foreman.  Mark is a Purple Heart combat medic. 

ParThon brought to life the experience of African American Veteran Calvin Wade who faced racism after returning from war.  

A collection of testimonies from Women Vietnam Veterans is being turned into a song by songwriter Pauline Pisano.

Special Forces Vietnam Veteran vocalist Larry Reed and instrumentalists John & Susan Nicholson of Frogwater teamed up with Vietnam Veteran Charlie Walton and created a song about letting go of survivor’s guilt.  You can watch the music video of this song here: https://youtu.be/hoDmF_D3YHw

Multi award winning songwriter Kyle Rightley is bringing to life the story of Bill Martin, a magician and helicopter pilot.  Bill used magic tricks to entertain Vietnamese children in between gunship missions.  He went on to found The Veterans and Patriots Performance Group. 

Actor/writer/producer Elvis Thao (Gran Torino) is creating a song about the experience of Hmong Veteran Chai Cher Vue entitled Bloody Mekong.

Award winning songwriter Lisa Johnson is helping Veteran John Zutz create a song about facing conscription, more commonly known as The Draft.

Living Legend, musician and Vietnam Veteran Watermelon Slim (Bill Homans) has created a song about losing one’s humanity during combat.

Songwriters Aaron Baer and Paul Wisneski teamed up to bring to life the story of Veteran and author Brenton MacKinnon, as he prepares for the end of his life due to terminal cancer from Agent Orange.

Disquieted Mind by Jeff Mitchell tells the story of Veteran Steve Gunn who healed in part through the work of Dr. Ed Tick and Soldier’s Heart.  This touching commentary on the need for healing from moral injury concludes the CD.

A diversity advisory board is assisting in the creation process.

Conclusion
Thanks to seed grants from the Milwaukee chapter of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Vets Journey Home Milwaukee, online fundraising, and a substantial grant from The Bloomfield Family Foundation, we have $18,830.98 of the $30,000 required to complete this project.  We need to raise $11,169.02 to complete the project on time.  Major fundraising began July 2020.  Donations of $1,000 or more receive recognition by name in the final CD liner notes.  Thank you for your support.

Our main fundraising campaign can be found at www.gofundme.com/WSV3-Vietnam

A fundraising video is available at: https://youtu.be/fVikQ7EA6Pw

An informational video, void of a money, ask is available at: https://youtu.be/XOFqcBTp5xw

Donations can be also be made online at: www.warriorsongs.org/donate

Donations can also be mailed to:
Warrior Songs
PO Box 8805
Madison, WI 53708

Please note “WSV3” or “Vietnam” in your donation.

11/30/2020

Thank you,

Jason Moon – Founder and Executive Director of Warrior Songs
US Army - Iraq 2003-2004

Budget, photos and interviews are available upon request