Jason Moon, Bone Holler, Mark Lint’s Dry Folk, Matt DeBlass, Chris Wellner, Kyle Rightley, Kris Sheehan, Lisa Johnson

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courtesy Warrior Songs

A person with a guitar in front of cacti.

Jason Moon

Set for release on Aug. 8 is The Last Thing We Ever Do: Warrior Songs Vol. 3, the latest compilation album from Madison-based nonprofit Warrior Songs, which uses the creative arts to help veterans heal. The official CD release show is in Milwaukee, but there are several Madison area events as well, kicking off with a Saturday afternoon concert featuring Warrior Songs founder Jason Moon along with Bone Holler, Matt DeBlass, Lisa Johnson, Mark Lint’s Dry Folk, Kyle Rightley, Kris Sheehan and Chris Wellner. On Aug. 5, a 5:15 p.m. concert at the top of State Street (free and open to all) will be followed by a panel discussion at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum (free, but RSVP here). Find more events and info at warriorsongs.org.

media release: An album of songs based on the experiences of Vietnam era veterans, titled “The Last Thing We Ever Do,” is scheduled for release in August by Warrior Songs, a non-profit helping veterans heal from the trauma of war through the creative arts.

The CD features 14 songs created by professional songwriters from the firsthand testimony of Vietnam era veterans, brought to life by professional studio musicians. Copies of the CDs are made available to veterans and veteran non-profits free of charge. The songs on the album run the gamut of topics, from dealing with the Selective Service to combat to coping with returning to the U.S., civilian life, and moral injury.

Nineteen Vietnam era veterans gave testimony, transformed into song by 21 songwriters and recorded by 81 studio musicians in 14 different studios across five states in two countries – USA and Vietnam. A total of 109 artists, including 17 Vietnamese nationals, joined forces to complete the project.

“This album is about healing, and also about reconciliation,“ said Jason Moon, an Iraq war combat veteran plagued by severe PTSD who founded Warrior Songs to help other veterans. He wrote one of the songs, “Seeds of Peace,” in Vietnam in 2019 and recorded it with Vietnamese children as vocalists. It is about the importance of reconciliation in healing moral injury. The renowned conductor of the United Saigon Orchestra, Son Mach, completed recordings in Saigon and Da Nang.

The song was inspired by Moon witnessing a meal in Duc Pho shared by Vietnam veteran Chuck Theusch, founder of Children’s Library International, and other US Vietnam veterans, with former Viet Cong. The two groups had fought against each other 50 years ago in that province.

Along with a preview show in Madison (2 pm, 7/31, Bos Meadery), an official release party is planned at Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee, on Sunday, Aug. 8, from 3 to 6 pm. Admission is free to veterans and $10 to the general public. All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the CD. Several Milwaukee and Wisconsin based veterans service organizations will be present at the event to share information about their work. The lineup includes 10 of the 14 acts that wrote and recorded songs for the CD.

View the music video for “Seeds of Peace” here

https://youtu.be/PjhFMln_TYs

View the music video for “Let it Go” here

https://youtu.be/cQQvtEkEktY

View behind the scenes interviews from “Let it Go” here

https://youtu.be/dYhWgY_sW_k