Stephen Covell
(October 7, 2008)
"A few months ago I made a video for "Sand
Hills to Sandals" from my barracks room at Fort Bragg. It may be
the only song I ever write about the time I spent in Iraq and
what it was like to come back home because I've never been one
to mix business with pleasure. Maybe it will help people
understand what its like if they have friends or loved ones
deployed. If something positive can come out of the sadness that
so many have had to face then I think it will have been the
right thing to do."
More from Stephen Covell (October 7, 2008)
"Music is community. It is the great connective
force, along with love and family, which bind our species together.
When I made the decision to join the Army two years ago I knew that
I'd be giving up most of what I'd worked so hard to build since I
started performing. The fans, the shows, the freedom, the
recognition... all of it would slowly fade into boots, dust and
sleepless nights. It was scary in a way, but there was a part of me
that felt like I didn't deserve the spot light just yet. I remember
my exact thought was that I hadn't paid my dues.
At 23, I was still a kid in most respects: irresponsible, impulsive
and very vain . . . Finally, in February of 2006, I took the first
step and signed on the line and shipped off to Fort Jackson, SC.
Something in me changed in those first few weeks, and it had nothing
to do with the drill sergeants or the routine or missing my family.
I realized I couldn't live without music . . . We continue to dream
even in the middle of the desert, thousands of miles from anything
familiar. Soldiers come from all walks of life and join for all
sorts of reasons; what better way to honor our service then to
encourage our creativity and help share it with the world?
My first two releases "Perfect Parade" and "Short and Sweet" were
recorded while I was at the University of Arizona right before I
went to basic training. I think my newer music reflects how I've
grown since becoming a soldier but still retains the playfulness
that has never left my personality (shhh don't tell anybody) . . .
So what's next? I'm one deployment down with
another on the way. If I've learned anything it's that life is
precious, and if you don't take advantage of the gifts you're given
every day you'll look back a few years down the road and see a lot
of wasted time. I know that wont be me. I may have taken a different
direction that I'd expected but really, what are a few years of
service when you gain so many rich experiences and memories?"
Sand Hills to Sandals
