Veterans’ stories resonate in music therapy program

Photo by John Kirkpatrick

Veterans Empowered Together (VET) partnered with the Bluegrass Music Academy in January to launch a new music therapy program. The goal is to record a song with a different veteran or their family each month to tell their story. Most recently, they connected with Brad Miller – the grandson of Kenneth Walton Miller, a member of the esteemed “Ghost Army.”

Because of the secrecy surrounding the missions Miller and his troops conducted, little was known about the Ghost Army until several decades after World War II.

Miller’s unit was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for its heroic efforts. When Miller died just over a year ago at the age of 98, he was one of the few survivors of the unit, which numbered just over 1,100 men.

Brad was keen to tell his grandfather’s story and Brian Basham from VET and Randy Lanham from the Bluegrass Music Academy were happy to oblige.

“It’s been great to see the turnout and response,” Brad said. “A lot of people don’t know much about the Ghost Army because it’s so mysterious. I’m glad I was able to gather the information and help write the song. It turned out great.”

While Brad provided a wealth of information, Basham and Lanham worked with singer Dan Hall and Matt Gray of Gray Sky Music to write and produce the song. The group welcomed Miller’s wife, Jenny Bell Miller, their son Bruce and other friends and family to the Logsdon Community Center on Monday for a “first listen.”

“It was amazing. I can’t wait. I can’t wait until it’s done so we can get one and share it,” Jenny said. “He would be so proud. I can’t get over how good it was. It’s so nice that there are people in the community who want to do something like this and are willing to do it.”

Bruce agreed with his mother.

“The fact that they’re giving up their time and putting in so much effort means a lot to us,” Bruce said. “We definitely need more of that — them spreading the word about what they’ve done and what it means to us and our country. It’s just great that they’re doing something like that.”

Although they had planned to produce only one song per month, Lanham and Basham were so excited by the concept that they produced eight. During that time, they have worked with several local artists, including Andy Brasher, Drew Aud, Clint Campbell, James Elliott, Wayne Morris, Tommy Mullins and Dan Hall.

“The program was based on the idea that music is its own therapy. Many veterans use music as an escape,” Basham said. “We partnered with the Bluegrass Music Academy to develop a program that gives veterans the opportunity to tell their story in song. They will have a song they can be proud of for the rest of their lives.”

Lanham immediately liked the concept and it fit perfectly with the mission of the Bluegrass Music Academy.

“The academy is part of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s educational program,” Lanham said. “We want to do outreach, and with all that VET does, the partnership was a no-brainer. We both love writing music, and I believe God honored this project because we didn’t know what to expect.”

After seeing the look on Miller’s face when he heard the song, Basham and Lanham could confidently say that the initiative was a success.

“Seeing the faces of the veterans and their families when they hear the song for the first time is a true expression of gratitude,” Lanham said. “Taking their story and giving it a melody is therapeutic for them and for us, and it’s gratifying.”