Freedom Sings USA retreat coming to Anna
A three-day retreat aimed at helping veterans share their stories through music will take place April 16 to 18 in Anna.
Freedom Sings USA, a Tennessee-based nonprofit, pairs professional Nashville songwriters with veterans, military personnel and their families to transform personal experiences into original songs. The organization uses music as a form of expression to help participants process trauma, manage post-traumatic stress and navigate the transition to civilian life.
The Anna retreat will bring together six accomplished songwriters with five local veterans. Participants include Donnie Spurlock, who served in Iraq; Mark Haddick and Welden Davis, both Vietnam veterans; Don Fotheringham, 98, who served at Iwo Jima; and Jean Few, who served in Okinawa.
Each veteran will be paired with a songwriter to create a song based on their life and military service. The goal is to foster healing and understanding while also providing opportunities for the public to engage with veterans’ stories.
Songwriters participating in the retreat include:
Steve Dean is a hit songwriter with six No. 1 singles and numerous Top 40 successes, including "Watching You," the most-played country song of 2007. His songs have been recorded by Reba McEntire, George Strait, Alabama and The Oak Ridge Boys, among others. Dean has earned eight BMI Songwriter Awards and two BMI Publisher Awards. Inspired by artists such as The Beatles and Johnny Cash, he also performs as a singer-songwriter, sharing stories behind his work. He co-founded Freedom Sings USA in 2014.
Bill DiLuigi is a Nashville staff writer with 888 KING MUSIC and a prolific songwriter with more than 300 cuts. His work has been recorded by artists including Richie McDonald of Lonestar, Blessid Union of Souls, Rachel Holder and Aaron Pritchett. His songs have appeared on Billboard, American and Music Row charts and in hundreds of film and television placements. Recognized by "American Songwriter," he is often called a “poet’s poet” and regularly performs at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe.
Don Goodman, co-founder of Freedom Sings USA, is a Nashville songwriter known for hits such as "Angels Among Us," Conway Twitty’s "Feelin's" and "Ol' Red." Born in Hohenwald, Tenn., he moved to Nashville in 1961 and went on to write thousands of songs. Goodman was named Country Music Songwriter of the Year in 2002 and has received four Grammy nominations. He also founded the online platform writewithapro.com to connect aspiring writers with professionals.
Minnie Murphy is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter known for a genre-spanning style that blends country, R&B, jazz, soul and pop. An accomplished vocalist, pianist and guitarist, she has toured internationally and performed or recorded with artists including Vince Gill, Martina McBride and Jamie O'Neal. Her music has been featured in films such as "Redemption Road" and "The Noel Diary," and recorded by artists including Laine Hardy and Ty Herndon.
Wil Nance is a country songwriter behind multiple No. 1 hits and award-winning albums. He topped the charts with "She's Everything" from the CMA Album of the Year "Time Well Wasted. He also wrote "Round About Way" and contributed to Troubadour, a Grammy-winning project. Nance has received multiple BMI “Million Air” honors, recognizing songs with more than 1 million radio plays.
Bill Whyte, a Missouri native, has worked as a songwriter, comedian and radio personality since his teens. He has hosted morning shows in Nashville, Cincinnati and Milwaukee, earning a CMA Award and induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2012. His songs have been recorded by artists including Ray Stevens, Joe Nichols and Linda Davis. Whyte tours nationwide with “Evening in the Round” and performs with the trio “Hits and Grins.”
The retreat will feature several public events.
A kickoff dinner and writers’ round will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at the VFW, 70 VFW Lane in Anna. The event is open to the public, and tickets are $15. Reservations are requested by April 10.
A free writers’ round concert will follow at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17, at Davie’s School Inn Gym, 300 Freeman St. in Anna.
The retreat will conclude with a free public concert at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at East Davie Park. The event will include recognition of the participating veterans and the premiere of the songs written during the retreat. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
The event is being organized locally by the Shawnee Hills Arts Council, which is also accepting donations to help cover the estimated $15,000 cost of the program.
For more information or to RSVP for the April 16 dinner, contact Lee Hackney at 904-625-1109 or vabchlee@gmail.com.