COUNTRY ARTISTS ‘SALUTE’ ARMY ON 230th BIRTHDAY

Grab these, localize them with soldiers from your local area in place of the unknowns on them (check with your Army recruiter) and customize the audio, turning 'em into your salute to the troops on their "birthday:"

More than two dozen country music artists gathered in the nation’s “music capital” recently to voice their support for America’s Soldiers on the Army’s upcoming 230th Birthday - June 14. Their emotional words of encouragement have been turned into a series of public service announcements available to TV station managers and program producers nationwide - at no cost.

WHO? Country music artists come together at the historic Ryman Auditorium - former home of the Grand Ol’ Opry - in Nashville to record messages honoring Soldiers worldwide. Country artists included Aaron Tippin, Andy Griggs, Mark Wills, John Michael Montgomery, Bryan White, Craig Morgan, TG Sheppard, Joe Diffie, Ray Stevens, Linda Davis, Stella Parton, Keni Thomas, Jett Williams, Brad Cotter, Moe Bandy, John Conlee, Little Texas, the Kentucky Headhunters and more.

WHAT? Five 30-second 230th Army Birthday PSAs (with multiple artists in each announcement) are now available on the web to preview and for satellite download via the Army’s Digital Video & Imagery Distribution System in Atlanta at http://www.dvidshub.net/.

HOW? The DVIDS Hub delivers real time broadcast-quality video products via a domestic satellite that covers the continental U.S., or through fiber wire connections. Media organizations can download video clips, imagery and print stories through the online archive. Simply register online for full access to the service at http://www.dvidshub.net/active/index.php?act=Reg&CODE=00

WHY? Country music artists heard the “Call to duty” theme of this year’s celebration and recorded their “salutes” to the Army on its birthday! For more information about the Army’s 230 years of service to the nation, visit the Army’s special website at www.army.mil/birthday.

Released by Army Public Affairs-New York Branch
805 Third Ave., 9th Floor New York City, NY 10022-7513

Address questions about this release to Bruce Zielsdorf at (212) 784-0111.
Fax (212) 784-0149
E-mail bruce.zielsdorf@us.army.mil

Too bad that whoever put these together wasn't more successful in getting the superstar names of the format involved. You know that Toby, Tim, Kenny, Garth and, yes, even the Dixie Chicks, I'll bet, et al would have said "yes" to participating if they had heard about this project. Most likely these were done in a few hours and the big stars were on the road and unavailable to go to the Ryman at the chosen time.

Hats off to the artists who did make the effort: Little Texas, Jeff Bates, Craig Morgan, Michael Peterson, Andy Griggs, Joe Diffie, Bryan White, Lila McCann and Mark Wills, the best-known "names" on the PSA's.