Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Daniels offered RCA Nashville recording artist Chris Young and Nashville businessman Willie Horton with the primary ever Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards Tuesday evening (Sept. 18) on the annual fundraising dinner for The Journey Home Project (TJHP), a nonprofit Daniels and his longtime supervisor, David Corlew, based in 2014 to help veterans.
“Our principal standards is individuals who have a coronary heart for veterans and actually care and attempt to do one thing for them,” Daniels says of the honorees. “We wished to acknowledge individuals who care and have been doing one thing for a very long time like Chris. Chris has been there for some time. Chris has very quietly been a giant supporter of our veterans.”
Young was humbled to get the popularity. “It’s an enormous, big honor,” Young tells Billboard of receiving the primary Patriot Award. “It’s fairly unimaginable that Charlie considered me. He’s an excellent man. I’ve obtained quite a bit to reside as much as if he likes me. Beyond what an excellent profession that man has had and all he is completed musically, his philanthropic efforts are unmatched.”
Daniels enthusiastically helps varied causes, however serving to veterans is very near the 81-year-old icon’s coronary heart. “I’ve been a lifelong patriot. My early life had been through the second World War,” he tells Billboard. “From the time I used to be 5 until about 10-years-old, the warfare was happening. I lived it day in and time out. My people listened to newscasts and we might get the causality studies. I got here up in that ambiance and I say on stage each evening, ‘The solely two issues defending America are the grace of God and the United States army,’ and we should always honor each of them.”
Like Daniels, Young has lengthy been a staunch supporter of the army. “My sister and brother-in-law had been within the Marine Corps. I’ve obtained a cousin within the army and my grandfather was within the army,” says the Tennessee native, who has carried out for troops in South Korea, Iraq, Germany and Japan. “I sat on the board of Stars for Stripes for a very long time, which is a nonprofit [sending entertainment to troops overseas]. There are fantastic alternatives to play for the army and provides them the respect they deserve. Trying to present them some leisure now and again is such a small factor, nevertheless it’s a giant factor to them. One of the instances we had been over there we did a FOB hop, went to a ahead working base known as Camp Shocker. It’s on the border of Iraq and Iran. We had been the primary non-military leisure that had ever been there. Things like which can be actually, actually particular.”
During the night, there was a silent public sale to lift cash for TJHP and there have been varied audio system together with former New York City police commissioner Bernard B. Kerik and army vets Mark “Oz” Geist, Kyle E. Lamb, and David Rutherford. “It’s necessary for the veterans at these occasions to see the outpouring of admiration, love and help that so many give. To me, that is so fulfilling as a veteran,” says Geist, who served within the Marine Corps. “Events like what Charlie and David Corlew do are simply terrific.”
The occasion was sponsored by The Palm, Military Systems Group, Empire Distributors of Tennessee, Inc., the Shepherd Center, Wondergraphics, APA, UES (Utility Equipment Service), MTSU’s Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center, Outback Concerts and Team Construction.
A jacket worn by Kerik at Ground Zero was auctioned off for $80,000 and can embrace a visit to New York with Kerik speaking about his experiences on the 9/11 web site. Young carried out through the occasion, delivering a robust rendition of “The Dashboard” from his second album, The Man I Want to Be. Penned by Monty Criswell, the tune chronicles a Marine leaving his beloved Ford truck within the palms of his brother till he returns dwelling from warfare. “I considered it and I may do one thing individuals hear me play on a regular basis, however I wished to do one thing completely different,” says Young, who will likely be performing for a offered out crowd throughout the road from The Palm on Sept. 22 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
Horton, former CEO of Military Systems Group and a longtime veterans supporter, additionally obtained the Charlie Daniels Patriot Award. “Willie has all the time been right here for us,” says Corlew. “Willie has been our title sponsor yearly. We’re honored to have him right here.”
“He started serving to years in the past and he is probably the most strong people we have ever had,” Daniels says of Horton’s help of TJHP. “We need to honor the individuals who actually care.”
The mission of The Journey Home Project is to help veterans of their return, rehabilitation, and reintegration again into civilian life. “It’s progressed greater than I ever dreamed it will,” says Corlew says of the group he and Daniels launched 5 years in the past. “Although we have not grown in board dimension or working price dimension, we have grown in our attain and the individuals we’re capable of contact. We’re working with homeless vets. We are working with troopers who’re nonetheless in fight and we’re going to make an announcement quickly on a challenge that we’re working with Vanderbilt and the VA that includes most cancers analysis. Returning veterans from submit 9/11 are having difficulties with most cancers and their respiration from air they breathed within the Middle East.”
“I’d simply encourage all people to help our veterans and perceive what they’ve executed and the sacrifices they’ve made for us,” Daniels says. “The want is nice. There are a number of organizations like ours and different good organizations that acknowledge the road stage want.”
