ACG Music & Healing, including Songwriting with Veterans, utilizes a trauma-informed, strength-based approach to facilitate a medium for meaningful expression and personal narrative through music making for Austin community members facing significant challenge or trauma. Directed by Dr. Travis Marcum, and in collaboration with organizations, hospitals, clinics, shelters, and residential facilities we provide individualized music experiences for Central Texans navigating such challenges as poverty, homelessness, physical and mental health diagnoses, and trauma from past experiences.

 

In honor of Veterans Day we would like to share two special songs created with two inspiring veterans through ACG Music & Healing, in partnership with The Georgetown Arts and Culture Program, Resilient Me Military Expressive Arts Programs, and country music artist Wynn Williams.

Through this special songwriting program, veterans John Hill and Bobby Withrow spent the last two months working alongside Travis Marcum (ACG Director of Education and Music & Healing) and Wynn Williams to create personal songs to honor the military community and acknowledge their own experiences in service. The videos we’re sharing today are excerpts from their last zoom songwriting sessions with Wynn and Travis where John and Bobby heard the complete songs for the very first time.

The first song is called A Prayer for the Living, and was written by John Hill with Travis Marcum and Wynn Williams. John was an Army medic in Afghanistan, and wanted to write a song for fellow service members struggling with the pain they hold onto after the experience of war.

The second song is called When Blue Stars Turn Gold, written by Bobby Withrow with Wynn Williams and Travis Marcum. Bobby served in the Navy and now runs the Texas Fallen Project where he supports families all over the state who have lost loved ones in battle. A Gold Star Family is one that has lost a member in service. Bobby wanted to write a song that helps people understand the need to honor our fallen soldiers and to support their loved ones who are fighting their own battle every day.

You can learn more about Bobby’s Texas Fallen Project on the nonprofit organization’s Facebook Page. Contributions can be sent to: Texas Fallen Project, Inc, 1150 S. Bell Blvd, Cedar Park Texas 78613.