How do soldiers struggle with family separation? How are they are still doing okay despite the distance with their loved ones? Please remember, not just today on Veteran’s Day but always, our armed men who bravely serve and have served our country with strength and honor. Today, let us take into account the story about a song Steve Azar wrote. We will dig deeper into his inspiration for writing his moving “Soldier Song.”
“Please pick up the phone,
Your soldier’s finally comin’ home.”
How “Soldier Song” Came to Play
Azar did not think anybody would hear the “Soldier Song”, because he just did it a sale item at a charity event. One day, somebody wants him to pen something about the troops. He had about a year to do it.
That time, he was out on the road with Bob Seger for seven months and he could not go home whenever he wants to. Their tour’s schedule is kind of a day on and a day off. At times, he has to stay in the bus. Azar is both a career and family man. He loves to be with his family and spending time with them. While on tour, he thinks about how his kids are growing up. He figures he needs just a little dose of his family from time to time. But, it was his first time to not be in control of his schedule. Out of boredom, he started seeing news about soldiers. The thought of soldiers being away from their loved ones bothered him. After seeing a guard that was gone for the first time for a year, and he goes,
“Oh, my God, I’ve been gone three weeks and I got to at least see my family for 15 hours. These guys are gone for a year? And I’m not being shot at.”
Steve Azar, On His Song
Azar does not worry about anything because his version of being away from home is nothing compared to the soldiers.. Theirs truly has great merit and is heroic. For Azar, the heroes are not only our soldiers, but the families that have to truly move and get along without them with all the strains and worries. Through all the touring and being away from home, he realized how difficult it could be to be a soldier. Nothing can ever compare the sacrifices they make, including giving up the time to see their own families just to take care of others’.
Steve Azar released “Soldier Song” in 2011 with proceeds from the song going to Jared Allen’s Home for Wounded Warriors. That same year, as a dedication to all the soldiers serving, he also gave a portion of the song’s profits to a very special cause the “Wounded Warriors Project”.
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Soldier Song, Steve Azar