by SWS | Jun 18, 2023 | The Power of Connections
One of the most common feelings among service members and their families is, “nobody understands what it’s like.” They often feel disconnected from others within their families and beyond. SongwritingWith:Soldiers has held several retreats over the...
by SWS | Jun 11, 2023 | Reflections on Creativity
“When I attended the SongwritingWith:Soldiers retreat in Belton, I found my voice. I found the courage I needed to share my story. I realized how much I could help others.” — Brandy Davidson, US Army Veteran Brandy Davidson, a US Army Veteran attended our...
by SWS | Jun 4, 2023 | Reflections on our Journey
Reaching the Unknown Listener At SongwritingWIth:Soldiers, we post nearly every song written at a retreat onto our website to make it easy for anyone to listen and share. Thanks to social media outlets, such as Facebook, we are able to hear from some of those...
by SWS | May 29, 2023 | Reflections on our Journey
“He did not know such experiences could be put into words.”— Richard Erickson, Ch, Brig Gen, USAF, retired The son of a WWII Navy hero, Richard Erikson, a retired Air Force Brigadier General and Chaplain, has spent his life connecting with veterans. Early...
by SWS | May 22, 2023 | Reflections on our Journey
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Rick Loomis has worked several retreats with us, not only bringing his artistic expertise, but also his wisdom and empathy from being embedded in war zones. We have no doubt that Rick and many of his photographer colleagues could...
by SWS | May 15, 2023 | Reflections on our Journey
“…It’s not about writing a hit, or even a ‘killer song’. It’s about deep listening, building trust, building stronger bridges between people, opening up hearts.” — Will Kimbrough, Songwriter Along with our retreat partnership...
by SWS | May 8, 2023 | Reflections on our Journey
We’ve heard the clichés: “Timing is everything … Third time’s a charm.” In the case of US Army Veteran, Tom Griswold (`Griz’ to his friends) these clichés ring quite true. At the urging of his battle-buddy, SW:S participant Rob...
by Mary Judd, Co-founder and Board Member | May 1, 2023 | The Power of Connections
Sometimes we don’t know we are embarking on a great adventure until we are well into it. Those simple choices, early decisions, and serendipitous connections send us on our way even before we know something remarkable is coming together. Often it is a matter of...
by SWS | Apr 24, 2023 | The Power of Connections
Retired Army Colonel, Christine Rem, heard about SongwritingWith:Soldiers in 2017 through a friend who had donated to the program. “Come with me to a concert this weekend,” the friend had said. “You will hear songs written by veterans.” Being a...
by SWS | Apr 16, 2023 | Reflections on Creativity
Two months into the Covid-19 pandemic, with in-person retreats and songwriting sessions on hold, the organization created a variety of online offerings to keep the SW:S community engaged and to share more of the songs and stories with the world. One effort, the...
