// Stories
The Ripple Effect
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...
Beyond Words
"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 in his...
From Behind the Lens: Memorial Day 2019
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...
Writing with Warrior PATHH
"...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 with Boulder Crest Foundation, SW:S...
Third Time’s A Charm
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 Spohr, Griz applied two times to...
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 just...
Connecting to Home
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 music lover, Chris was...
Across Generations
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 "Songs...
The Unseen Weight
"Music - it's an Rx for the invisible wounds of the soul."- Don Navor Retired Army LTC Donald Navor received three Bronze Stars V for valor and the Combat Infantryman's Badge during his tour in Vietnam. He served as Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Commander in...
Building Bridges
One of the hardest things our SW:S veterans feel about transitioning home from combat is the belief that civilians don't really want to know what they've been through. They feel like they have no one to talk to at a time when connecting is critical for readjustment....