Lavaca County
Lavaca County neighbors
Soldier Songs & Voices
Songwriter Workshops

Soldier Songs: Ongoing songwriter workshops for veterans reboot after lengthy COVID hiatus

Soldier Songs & Voices is a nonprofit outreach dedicated to putting instruments in the hands of our men and women of the military and providing them instruction on music and songwriting.

Founded by acclaimed musician/songwriter Dustin Welch, a Nashville native who now lives just outside Austin, and his father, Kevin Welch, who performed and wrote songs with legends like Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yeawood and The Highwaymen, they recently announced the return of their weeklong in-person songwriter retreat planned in mid-November at the TR Ranch, just oustide the historic community of Moravia in northern Lavaca County, along with a revival of the many songwriter workshops held across the region for veterans. Both shifted exclusively to online formats through the pandemic.

Today's story provides informaion on the three closest workshop venues and a couple of interesting upcoming events. It can also put you in touch with those who can answer any questions you might have about the program. Then, check back in coming weeks as we visit with some of Soldier Songs' leaders and past workshop attendees to hear what the experience has meant for them in terms of sharing their moving and powerful stories.

  • Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos was the original venue for the Soldier Songs songwriter workshops and still meets regularly today, though most off them have been via Zoom for some months now.
    Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos was the original venue for the Soldier Songs songwriter workshops and still meets regularly today, though most off them have been via Zoom for some months now.
  • The Bugle Boy in La Grange not only has guitar and songwwriter workshops available, they're also planning a FREE recording session on Saturday, Sept.18. Must RSVP to schedule a timelslot.
    The Bugle Boy in La Grange not only has guitar and songwwriter workshops available, they're also planning a FREE recording session on Saturday, Sept.18. Must RSVP to schedule a timelslot.
  • Check out Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio for their own brand of good eats and good tunes, held the the first Tuesday each month.
    Check out Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio for their own brand of good eats and good tunes, held the the first Tuesday each month.
  • Dustin Welch says he's witnessed firsthand the healing power music can have in a peron's life. It's what inspired him to launch Soldier Songs.
    Dustin Welch says he's witnessed firsthand the healing power music can have in a peron's life. It's what inspired him to launch Soldier Songs.
  • Take your songwriting/musical ability to a whole other level alongside those who served like you did and know what you've been through.
    Take your songwriting/musical ability to a whole other level alongside those who served like you did and know what you've been through.
  • Because whatever your age or ability level, it's about finding that spark of ingenuity, the right inspiration.
    Because whatever your age or ability level, it's about finding that spark of ingenuity, the right inspiration.
  • Or, sometimes, simply connecting with those around you.
    Or, sometimes, simply connecting with those around you.
  • And, sometimes, the melody and lyrics align and meld. Magic unfolds, and amazing things will happen. Follow our site for more.
    And, sometimes, the melody and lyrics align and meld. Magic unfolds, and amazing things will happen. Follow our site for more.
  • Happening just outside Moravia at the TR Ranch.
    Happening just outside Moravia at the TR Ranch.

    Whether you’ve always wanted to learn guitar or got something written that you need help setting to music, Soldiers Songs instructors and core group members stand ready to help.

    The free workshops are led by professional musicians, and they are open to anyone who served in any branch of the military at any time, including the National Guard, Coast Guard and Reserves, as well as all active-duty military personnel. 

    Veterans don’t even need to have their own guitar. Just show up and loaners will be provided.

    Soldier Songs & Voices now has local chapters in 10 cities across the United States, all aimed at improving the quality of life for veterans and their families through songs and music.

    All three Texas chapters are all within a couple hours’ drive of most anyplace in Lavaca County. They include the historic Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, Sam’s Burger Joint in San Antonio and The Bugle Boy in La Grange. 

    The Cheatham Street Warehouse, located at 119 Cheatham St. in San Marcos, was the original venue picked by Soldier Songs founder and president Dustin Welch when he first launched his nonprofit in 2011. Their mission: To provide veterans of all ages and skill levels a regular meeting place where they can work with experienced songwriters and musicians who have a knack for helping the battle worn find their own unique voice and share that voice in song.

    Cheatham Street still meets weekly on Monday evenings at 5 p.m., but since COVID came calling, the weekly workshops moved to Zoom only and are just now beginning to get back out in public. Welch, who lives near Lockhart, still leads that San Marcos workshop personally.

    Cheatham Street, incidentally, is the very same venue that once gave another aspiring singer-songwriter his start back in the early 1980s. Like many starting he just about tossed in the towel a few times, it finally paid off for him one day. You might even say he wound up doing pretty well for himself. You might've even heard of him before. He was a lanky cowboy-looking-fellow, who went by the name of George Strait.

    Other U.S. towns with Soldier Songs chapters include Damariscotta, Maine; Gloucester, Mass.; Portland, Ore.; Nashville, Tenn.; Scituate, Mass.; Greenville, S.C.; Fayetteville, Ark.; and Santa Fe, N.M. It even spawned a sister organization with the same mission in Australia, providing the same type of outreach to military veterans on that continent as well.

    For more information about the free songwriter workshops for veterans or for information about how you go about launching your own local chapter, visit the Soldier Songs website at www.soldiersongsandvoices.com or email  dustin@soldiersongsandvoices.com.

     

    Bugle Boy recording sessions planned Sept. 18

    VENUE: The Bugle Boy, 1051 N. Jefferson St. (U.S. 77) in La Grange

    ONE DAY ONLY! All veterans and active-duty military personnel are invited to the FREE Bugle Calls Recording Sessions from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18. A great opportunity to professionally record your songs to share with friends and family.

    Take advantage of their classic WWII building acoustics and the talents of sound engineer John Pearson as you perform your songs live from The Bugle Boy stage. Reservations are required. Email heather@thebugleboy.org to reserve your slot. Visit www.thebugleboy.org for more.

     

    Bugle Boy veteran's guitar/songwriter workshops contacts

    VENUE: The Bugle Boy, 1051 N. Jefferson St. (U.S. 77) in La Grange

    Free monthly online guitar/songwriter workshops for both beginners and experienced players, in partnership with songwriter Terri Hendrix’s Own Your Own Universe. 

    Heather Allbright is the chapter coordinator for SSV Bugle Boy Chapter. Loaner guitars are available. Email heather@thebugleboy.org to register for the online venue.

    Visit www.thebugleboy.org for more.

     

    Grab a burger, learn to write a song in San Antonio

    VENUE: Sam’s Burger Joint 330 E. Grayson St. in San Antonio

    Free monthly songwriter workshops for veterans, held in partnership with the nonprofit Find the Hero in You. 

    Tom Vickers and Jeph Duarte lead the San Antonio Chapter of Soldier Songs & Voices from 7-9 p.m. on the first Tuesday each month.

    Visit www.samsburgerjoint.com for more.

     

    Reveille Rereat set Nov. 14-19 at Hallettsville's TR Ranch 

    Registration for the annual event closed at the end of Auguist. Space is limited and slots filled fast, as it was the first in-person retreat held since COVID arrived in Texas. The last two year's retreats moved tp an online format and feagtures of recorded songwriting seminars offered by some of the hbiggest names iun the business today when itb comes to the folk, Americana or Red Dirt music that these workshops best cater to.

    Just $250 can help put a veteran up for the week, and potentially change a life forever. It's been known to happen before. Visit https://www.soldiersongsandvoices.com/reveille for more.

    Watch right here for just a few of those stories in coming weeks and then check us out the week of the retreat itself. Dustin Welch visited with us on Labor Day and has invited us to come join them for a session or two at the retreat. We'll likely have a few photos to share from the event itself that week, then be watching for the our finale story on the 2022 event, planned sometime toward year end or early next.