The Portsmouth, OH/Ashland, KY Regional Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) (www.nashvillesongwriters.com) has joined with Operation Renewed Hope Foundation (ORHF) to bring awareness to the problem of veterans’ homelessness through the message of song. NSAI Regional Chapter Coordinators Russ Pruitt and John Roe, and chapter member, Marshall Thornton, have written “Homeless in the Home of the Brave” and licensed it for use by ORHF.
Thornton, a disabled vet, who took up songwriting as therapy, brought a video that he had put together featuring photos of homeless veterans to one of the chapter meetings. Learning that there are tens of thousands of veterans living on the streets of the U.S., they all agreed that a song needed to be written about this terrible social problem. The three writers collaborated on the song, and received some great feedback from the chapter’s Pro Writer, John Darin Rowsey. The song was recorded as a radio-quality “demo” at Hit Maker Studio, using the studio’s session players, and features Terry Hall on the vocals.
Pruitt, a Licensed Social Worker and pastor, had been researching groups that might want to use the song, when he saw ORHF’s CEO, Deborah Snyder, being interviewed on a FOX TV news program as one of the nominees for L’Oreal’s “Women of Worth” contest. After checking out the organization, he contacted her by phone and after hearing the song, she decided its message was right for OHRF. Kevin Levine, fellow NSAI member and attorney with Nashville entertainment law firm DeSalvo & Levine PLLC (www.desalvolevine.com), prepared a license agreement, permitting the organization to use the song for fund raising purposes. Although the demo version will be used for now, the hope is that a known artist will record the song to give its message even greater exposure.
NSAI is the world’s largest not-for-profit trade organization that supports songwriters. The Regional Chapter the writers are affiliated with meets one time per month to teach the art, craft and business of songwriting via lessons provided by the National Organization.