You are invited to an exclusive dinner featuring stories behind the men in uniform, followed by a Nashville Writers’ Round.

Live Music Entertainment

Jo Smith

Writers’ Round will feature hit songs performed by the original songwriters

Brice Long

Mark Nesler

Greg Bates

Meet the Author

Benjamin H. Milligan, U.S. Navy SEAL and Historian

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact renee@honor.org.

Live Entertainment:

Jo Smith:

“Named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 New Artists You Need To Know in 2017 and CMT’s Next Women of Country 2018— is a soulful and gritty songwriter from south Georgia, and she makes music that is an extension of herself. A passionate storyteller, Jo remains inspired by the countless hours she spent spinning her dad’s vast collection of vinyl records as a child growing up on her family’s cattle farm.”

Writers’ Round:  Biographies 

Brice Long:

Brice Long, a Hopkinsville native now singing and songwriting in Nashville, is also a philanthropist himself! His Back2Back concert series helps provide the essentials to those in need in the community he was raised in. His music portfolio includes cuts with Garth Brooks, Chris Stapleton, Jon Pardi, Hank Williams Jr, George Strait, Randy Houser, Josh Turner, Reba McEntire, Gary Allan, Chris Young, Tracy Byrd, Randy Travis, Cody Johnson, Gretchen Wilson, John Michael Montgomery and more.

Mark Nesler:

Mark Nesler has had his share of #1 hits, including Tim McGraw’s “Just to See You Smile”, George Strait’s “Go On” and “Living and Living Well”, Darryll Worley’s “I Miss My Friend” to name a few. Mark continues to write every day and is one of Nashville’s most successful and respected songwriters and artists.

Greg Bates:

Greg Bates is a rare find these days in the music business. A Nashville native, Greg is a multi-talented songwriter, producer, singer, and guitarist with a resumé that includes songs cut by Chase Rice, Justin Moore, Montgomery Gentry, Tyler Booth, and William Michael Morgan. His time as an artist on Republic Nashville, highlighted by his Top 5 hit “Did It For the Girl”, gives Greg a perspective that few writers possess. His deep roots in traditional country music, as well as his love of hit, contemporary radio has led to amazing collaborations with some of the best young talent in Nashville today.