A packed house rocked out to free music for a great cause in Allen Arena Tuesday night as country music legend Charlie Daniels and a host of others headlined the annual ioStudio Charlie Daniels’ Scholarship for Heroes Tour.

In its fourth year, the show, always led by Daniels, helps benefit the Yellow Ribbon initiative, a program that pledges to help post-9/11 GI Bill veterans receive an education with little-to-no cost at Lipscomb University. This year, there are around 200 Yellow Ribbon students that attend school.

Alongside Daniels, The Grascals, Chris Young, Keni Thomas, Bleach and surprise guest Jason Aldean all played a mix of current hits and classics in order to give the Yellow Ribbon students in attendance an exciting night to remember.

Picture 5Before the show, Daniels met with the Yellow Ribbon students and posed in a group picture.

Daniels said that the veterans are brave individuals who endure daily strife all for the ultimate aim of receiving an education.

“It takes something that a lot of people don’t have to get out of a bed, to turn off the pain medicine and to walk into a situation where you’re trying to better yourself,” Daniels said. “Just the act of getting out of bed every day is a bigger job than most of us can ever even imagine.”

To Daniels, the Yellow Ribbon students – and all those who serve in the military – may have different stories, but all deserve to be recognized in the highest regard for their service to the country.

“Everybody’s story is different, but everybody’s got one, and everybody has really struggled to be where they are tonight, and to be a part of this program and to take advantage of it,” Daniels said. “It’s not been easy for anybody that you’ll see – some more difficult than others.

“These are heroes. These are not ordinary people. These are exceptional Americans that prove that they’re exceptional Americans by going to serve this country and putting their lives in danger to do it, and that is a special, special thing, and something I think that America needs to remember.”

“I’m just proud of them,” Daniels said of the Yellow Ribbon students.

Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country, served as the evening’s emcee, welcoming the crowd after the Presentation of the Colors and the National Anthem, performed by Lipscomb student and vocal performance major Hillary Cremeens.

Lee Greenwood, known for the classic “God Bless the U.S.A”, performed the iconic song to kick off the show. Celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, “God Bless the U.S.A.” continues to be a crowd favorite.

Greenwood said he hoped that he and the fellow performers would offer the Yellow Ribbon students a memorable night.

“We are so proud of those people who have served our country,” Greenwood said. “We have so much that we owe you, and I want those people to try to get immersed tonight in the music that we offer because it’s with our heart, and we want to make them feel that we are so very proud of them.”

Charlie Daniels energetically plays the crowd-pleasing fiddle during his set.

Charlie Daniels energetically plays the crowd-pleasing fiddle during his set.

After Greenwood’s performance, Warrens returned to the stage to give some insight into the evening’s honorees, listing the Yellow Ribbon students’ accomplishments while being at Lipscomb.

“Is there any more proof that our soldiers are America’s finest,” Warren said to the cheering crowd.

The Grascals, Keni Thomas, Chris Young and Bleach all performed throughout the middle portion of the show, with special segments interwoven that helped shed light on some of the Yellow Ribbon students and gave a call to donate to the Yellow Ribbon program.

Jamie Johnson, a singer and guitarist with The Grascals, shared the thoughts of he and his band mates, offering a message of support to the troops and their families. To Johnson and the rest of the group, playing the concert is a wonderful opportunity.

“It’s an honor,” Johnson said. “Anything we can do to give back to the troops, we’ll do it. They’re sacrificing their lives for us, and anybody that has a part of the Yellow Ribbon program has our support.”

Keni Thomas, a veteran himself, shared his thoughts on what it meant to work with Daniels and perform on the show.

“Charlie’s got a huge heart, and he and I have crossed paths quite a bit with all the work we’ve done overseas,” Thomas said. “Anytime you can do something where you’re playing music, doing what you love, sharing your gift and it’s actually making a difference, sign me up.”

Bleach drummer and guitarist Jared and Milam Byers, whose brother, Captain Josh Byers, was killed in Iraq in 2003, also shared in the gratitude of being a part of the evening’s show, as did the rest of the band.

“It’s an honor for us to be a part of this,” Jared Byers said.

The Byers’ mother, Mary Byers, is the president of the American Gold Stars Mothers, Inc., and she also had a role in the show, addressing the crowd as her organization was honored.

Jason Aldean Once Charlie Daniels and his band concluded their energetic, crowd-pleasing performance, the evening’s special guest, Jason Aldean, joined the stage and performed with Daniels on a few classic songs – including the famous “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” The duo was also joined by another surprise guest, Lynard Skynard guitarist Mark “Sparky” Matejka.

Matejka had kind words to express to the troops, saying that their service makes this event possible.

“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing,” Matejka said.

After the set, the Yellow Ribbon students were invited to the stage, met by thunderous applause and a standing ovation from the audience. The group then joined Daniels, Aldean, Matejka and the Charlie Daniels Band in a rendition of Nitty Gritty Bands’ classic “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

Yellow Ribbon student Thomas Jones, who served in the infantry for eight years, shared his gratitude for the evening.

“We go through a day-in, day-out grind – morning until night – in the military, and once we get out, it’s like we kind of disappear into civilian life, and we’re no longer soldiers. And, to be given gratitude for our service that we’ve done is an outstanding thing,” Jones said.

“What Charlie Daniels has done for the last four years has been a wonderful thing. I know I appreciate it. I served for eight years – it was a great eight years. It just means a whole lot to be understood, and for people to see the things we’ve had to go through and some of the rewards after.”

Video by Anne Paquin 

Quotes obtained by Kelly Dean, Anne Paquin and the author.

Photo credit: Whitney Jarreld – Charlie Daniels and Jason Aldean — group photo — author 

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