Veteran-Written Tune Featuring Kenny Foster Spotlights Hero’s Harrowing Journey To Feeling “Lucky,” Out Today (20/5)
CreatiVets’ Lauded Songwriting Program Recently Featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show
NASHVILLE, TN. – (20th May, 2022) – Nashville-based nonprofit CreatiVets and Big Machine Label Group‘s campaign to release a new veteran-written track on the 20th of every month – paying tribute to the 20 veterans and active-duty members that commit suicide every single day – continues today (20/5) with “Lucky,” featuring Kenny Foster, available now (via Big Machine Records) across all major streaming platforms.
Written by Army veteran Brad Blazek alongside songwriter Kenny Foster, David Borne and Seth Cole, the song gives a glimpse into the harrowing story of Blazek’s time in service – one that led him to being hit by a rocket, fracturing his skull and nearly ending his life. Throughout the poignant tune, a message of hope shines through, as it details the most difficult times in his life, all of which lead him to realising just how lucky he truly is.
“Lucky” was created during one of CreatiVets’ lauded songwriting programs, which pair combat veterans with songwriters in Nashville to help them learn to use music as a form of therapy. Earlier this month, this innovative program was featured in a tearful, two-part segment on The Kelly Clarkson Show, leading to Kelly awarding the veteran-run nonprofit with a cheque for $10,000. Watch it HERE.
“This was my first experience writing a song,” Blazek explains. “At first I was skeptical and nervous because I didn’t want to relive such a horrible memory in front of complete strangers, much less professional songwriters. I thought I had nothing to say that could possibly be song-worthy, and I didn’t want to waste everyone’s time. But after meeting everyone, those feelings changed. The writing session ended up being such an empowering and amazing experience. Everyone there was a part of this process because they wanted and were excited to be there, and that felt really incredible. Then, to see my story become a song, I was wowed. My wife said it was the best therapy that we didn’t even know I needed.”
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with CreatiVets for several years now,” Foster adds. “Brad’s story was fascinating, and I appreciated his perspective on everything that had happened to him. Rather than suffer with survivor’s guilt, he saw all of the improbabilities that got him to that writers room as a thing to be thankful for, to accept, and move on from. I hope this song finds other vets with similar outlooks — and maybe offers a small glimpse for vets still struggling with the unanswerable questions, of a more hopeful way to see their own stories.”
Recently featured in PEOPLE Magazine (check out the story HERE), CreatiVets has helped more than 1,000 combat veterans since its founding in 2013 — with more than 400 veterans participating in its songwriting programs to date. The organisation’s utmost goal is to end veteran suicide by offering alternative ways to cope with trauma, using the arts as a therapeutic cornerstone in the road to recovery. Serving as a connector for opportunities that magnify CreatiVets within the entertainment space, Big Machine Label Group continues to contribute to CreatiVets’ operational initiatives through Scott and Sandi Borchetta‘s Music Has Value Fund and through Big Machine Music, which serves as the co-publisher for CreatiVets.
ABOUT CREATIVETS:
CreatiVets’ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation whose mission is to provide wounded veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury with opportunities to use art, music, and creative writing to heal their unseen wounds of war. Their goal is to empower veterans with tools they can use for the rest of their lives and enable them to see their own capacity for success in an arena outside the battlefield. Learn more at creativets.org.
ABOUT BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP:
Led by CEO and Chairman Scott Borchetta, HYBE America’s Big Machine Label Group encompasses Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Co., BMLG Records, Big Machine/John Varvatos Records and publishing company Big Machine Music as well as its own digital radio station, Big Machine Radio. BMLG artists include superstars Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line, Sheryl Crow, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts, Brantley Gilbert and Lady A; chart-topping acts Justin Moore, Eli Young Band, Brett Young, Midland, Carly Pearce, Riley Green, Aaron Lewis, Badflower and Ayron Jones; renowned industry icons Wanda Jackson and Ray Wylie Hubbard, plus rising artists Danielle Bradbery, Tyler Rich, Laci Kaye Booth, Callista Clark, Jackson Dean, Conner Smith, Tiera Kennedy, Abbey Cone, Mackenzie Carpenter, Starcrawler, The Struts and Kidd G in partnership with Rebel Music / Geffen Records. Big Machine Records recently released the multi-genre film soundtrack for Netflix’s The Ice Road, featuring songs from Jason Isbell, Miranda Lambert, The Cadillac Three, L.A. Rats, John Carter Cash, Gary LeVox and more. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, AMA, CMT, Teen Choice, MTV, Billboard, People’s Choice and Brit Awards. Big Machine is the first-ever American label to align with terrestrial radio for performance royalty rights for its artists and is an industry leader in fighting for artist, songwriter, publisher and record company rights. Big Machine Label Group created the Music Has Value Fund to provide assistance to nonprofit organisations that make music, aspire to make music, and access and appreciate music. Visit BigMachineLabelGroup.com for more information.
ABOUT KENNY FOSTER:
Kenny Foster has shared the stage with artists including Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Butch Walker, Lady A and countless others. He was named one of the “Top 10 New Artists You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone and has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and Forbes. He has appeared in two Super Bowl commercials with Sheryl Crow and Danica Patrick, respectively. Kenny is also honoured to be included in the CMA Foundation “It Starts with M.E.” National Campaign for Music Education and performed as part of the CMA Songwriters Series, alongside songwriting legends Lori McKenna, Marcus Hummon, Lee Thomas Miller and Tenille Townes.
Kenny has performed at the highly-acclaimed C2C Festival in London, and was also invited to perform at the launch of C2C Berlin and at the famed Melkweg venue in Amsterdam as support for Hunter Hayes, as well as recent domestic festival appearances at the ACM Party for a Cause, Americanafest and CMA Fest, among others. Kenny headlined an Armed Forces tour to Asia, performing at bases in Guam, Singapore and Diego Garcia. He will be returning to the UK this summer to perform on the main stage at Millport Festival in Scotland (Aug 19-20) alongside Drake White, Sarah Darling, Sunny Sweeney, Ruthie Collins and more.
Kenny recorded his second full-length record Somewhere In Middle America with GRAMMY-award winners Mitch Dane and Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound, due for release on July 29th, 2022, the long-awaited follow up to 2017’s Deep Cuts. He documented the process of creating this record and the people and places that inspired it by taking his videographer, photographer and producer on a road trip from Nashville to his hometown of Joplin, Missouri, which will result in multi-platform content to be released in conjunction with the forthcoming album.
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