Black Hawk Down...Retired States...Pensacola Songwriters Festival

BILL BLOG

Friday October 4, 2024

Friday morning on the beach in Orange Beach, Alabama. 76 for a high here on the beach today and it looks like some heavy rain is on the way as I get ready to make a trip over to Pensacola for the songwriters festival there.

And now hurricane Kirk is forming out in the Atlantic. It’s already at Cat 4.

YESTERDAY

My veteran that I was assigned to write with Larry Perino came to the condo I was staying in and we sat and talked about his amazing service to our country.

If you saw the movie Blackhawk Down? Larry was right in the middle of that horrendous firefight in Somalia. 18 Americans died, man more wounded. Over 1,000 Somalian lives were claimed in that battle with those War Lords.

Larry had his hand on one his soldiers when that soldier was hit, and later died. He was their platoon leader.

25 years in the service as an Army Ranger. Came out as a Corporal who was deployed many times. In battle many times…and somehow lives while some of his friend did not. An amazing man…and soldier…West Point graduate…the real deal. All I know is that I had to be in a fight? I’d want Larry on my side.

He’s taught soldiers, and he’s speaks to organizations about his experience there hoping that those men will not be forgotten and that it mattered.

His song is titled “Make It Matter”…and it was a pleasure to write his song with him.

If you saw the movie Blackhawk Down

I was a pair of boots on that Somalia ground

Somehow I knew that I’d get out

I saw one of our birds fall from the sky

More got hit some continued to fly

I watched every bit of it go down

CHORUS

I was there

Lost a lot of friends

The movie didn’t catch it all on a lens

The blood was real, tears were shed

Some of my boys lived, some are dead

And the only thing to me that really matters

Is to make it matter

Jamey was a Jersey Boy

About my age he was deployed

Like me oh but he wasn’t as lucky as I

Had my hand on his shoulder when he was hit

He was part of 18 that didn’t live

And we couldn’t mourn in the middle of the fight

CHORUS

Bridge

It’s been awhile time flies by

Three decades later those who survived

Tell our stories to keep their memories alive

CHORUS

LAST NIGHT

At the beautiful Coastal Arts Center that sits on the bay in Orange Beach all 4 songwriters sang the songs written with veterans earlier in the day. We had a GREAT crowd…many of them veteran’s themselves including my friend Brent Burns who came with other friends Larry and Vickie, and Larry and Laura. Brent, Larry, and Larry all veterans.

These concerts are always so memorable…and it’s awesome to hear the loud applause each veteran receives after their personal songs are performed.

My thanks to the organizers, and to Andy Haynes of the Frank Brown Songwriters Festival for bring Freedom Sings USA to town. On veterans day itself, we’ll have a veteran’s night at the Flora Bama Main Listening Room where some of these songs will be performed again.

SONG OF THE DAY

This one is from artist Jacky Dustin “The Devil Don’t Honk His Horn” that I wrote with Jacky and my buddy Brady Seals. It just gospel-rocks like all get out…and it’s one of my favorites. I had that title, and Brady came up with the infectious melody, and then Jacky who has some “grit” in her Chicago voice just sang the heck out of it. Thank you Jacky.

HEALTH NOTES

According to Stacker these are the top 5 states with the shortest life expectancy. Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia and Mississippi ranks at the top with a life expectancy in that state of 73.9 years.

A new study claims that alcohol is driving a half-dozen types of cancer in the U.S.

A woman who lived to be 97 drank beer and ate ice cream regularly. And that makes some folks in the nutrition world wonder how much does lifestyle really matter to longevity?

HERE’S YOUR SIGN

This one came from my sister Rita. Made me smile.

RETIRING?

Go Banking says that a number of folks are leaving Florida as their retirement place because of hurricane weariness and the cost of living. And they predict that these will be the top 5 states folks look at for retiring in the future. Texas, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Arkansas and Iowa.

CHRISTMAS

Already? I saw an ad for a discount on Christmas tree this morning. Just jump over Halloween and Thanksgiving. And I’m betting some of you already have your Christmas shopping done. That ain’t right y’all.

GOING TO CHURCH

As in Eric Church. The artist just did a pretty cool thing. He just released a new single titled “Darkest Hour” and signed over the rights and royalties to this song to his home state of North Carolina for hurricane relief. Over 213 lives have now been lost to hurricane Helene. Good on Eric.