New song, album honor families of fallen service men and women
By Preshias Harris
Country music has a big heart. Singers and songwriters come together at the drop of a cowboy hat to donate their time and talent to a worthy cause. Causes don’t get much worthier than the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
Love Lives On is the title of a new album with all net proceeds from the album going to TAPS, but it is more than that. The songs on the album tell the personal stories of the sacrifice of both the fallen warriors and also the families who must live with their loss.
The album comprises 10 original songs that feature Vince Gill, Billy Ray Cyrus, John Rich, All-4-One, The Gatlin Brothers, Lonestar and many more. It is set for release over the 2020 Memorial Day weekend. However, “Love Lives On,” the album’s lead single and title track, will drop on March 20 and can be pre-ordered now via links at https://www.lovelivesonmusic.com/
Inspired by personal tragedy
The song was inspired by the touching story of Bonnie Carroll, TAPS Founder and President, who founded the program in 1994 after losing her husband, Brig. Gen. Tom Carroll, who perished in an Army plane crash 1992 along with seven other soldiers.
“I’m honored to be a part of this song that was inspired by Bonnie’s touching story,” said Richie McDonald, co-writer and lead vocalist of “Love Lives On”. “She poured her heart out, and as writers, we just took her emotions, put them to rhyme and reason to create a song that will hopefully help others to ‘remember’.”
During a launch party for the project, held at The Listening Room in Nashville, many of those involved in the writing, performing and production of the songs on the album, gathered on stage to talk about the project. I asked them to talk about their feelings and emotions as they became involved and how it had affected them.
“An honor and a blessing”
“I’ve known Bonnie for eight or nine years now,” said Frank Myers who co-produced the album with Jimmy Nichols. “Being part of songwriter shows and fundraisers, different galas that we’ve done for TAPS. So it was a honor and a blessing to finally get to do this with such incredible songwriters and artists.”
Sitting on stage beside him, Bonnie Carroll noted that, in 1994, there was no national support network for the families of America’s fallen heroes. “When TAPS was founded 26 years ago, it was immediately embraced by the military. Today, every time someone dies in our armed forces, regardless of how or where that death occurs, that family is connected with TAPS. We are the living legacy of service and sacrifice.”
Speaking of the songs on the album, Bonnie continued, “To honor these ten families, representing hundreds of thousands of families across this country, has been absolutely extraordinary. To share this healing message is absolutely beautiful.”
Ten beautiful stories
Songwriter Deborah Allen echoed Bonnie’s sentiments. “My first introduction to TAPS was when Frank gave me a call and he and Jimmy [Nichols] invited me to be a part of it. I was just so honored – just the caliber of the people involved in making this project what it is – my first inclination was ‘Yes! I’d love to do it!’
“As I got involved and got to know ‘my’ family whose story started to unfold, in my heart and in my mind, as we all came together, that’s what took it to a much deeper meaning, a much deeper level for me. I really didn’t realize that I could feel that way. We hear stories, we see things on the News all the time and I think sometimes we get a little jaded. But to work so closely with the family who lost such a precious family member just touched my heart so deeply. To know there are ten beautiful stories like that and there is a legacy that lives on, it’s not something that stops right here. Through the music, their lives will live on.”
Richie McDonald nodded his agreement to Deborah’s sentiments. “In the twenty-six years I’ve been in this town,” he said, “I’ve seen how gracious and caring the Country community can be.”
The origin of the song title
He then revealed how the title of the song and the album was inspired by what he heard Bonnie say at an event in the nation’s capital. “Last year, in Washington DC, at a Gala, Bonnie was giving her opening remarks and she ended with the phrase, ‘Love lives on,’ and that kind of escalated for us,” he recalled. Richie then shared that phrase with the other artists and songwriters and the project took off from there.
Roots & American Music Society (RAMS), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization and record label based in Memphis, TN, teamed with TAPS to orchestrate and create Love Lives On. For full information about Love Lives On and how the album came to be, or to pre-order your copy, visit this website. For more about the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and the services they provide, go to https://www.taps.org/
Helping more than 90,000 survivors
Since 1994, TAPS has assisted over 90,000 surviving family members, casualty officers and caregivers who are grieving the loss of a military loved one, regardless of the geography or the circumstances of their death.
From the stage of the Listening Room, Bonnie Carroll ended her remarks by saying, “To each and every one of you, thank you for coming out here and spreading the word, for letting these families know that their loved ones’ sacrifice is honored and remembered.”
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com