Rockin’ in the USA: These Veteran Musicians Should be on Your Playlist

Many stars have made the journey from military service to singing and strumming

Richard Baimbridge,

AARP Experience Counts

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En español

Published August 10, 2023

scooter brown of the war hippies sings into a microphone on stage

Scooter Brown of the War Hippies performs on stage in 2022.

Getty Images

closeup of a rusty dog tag with the text thank you veterans engraved in it, next to a flag of the United States

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Music and the military go back a long way, from Elvis getting drafted into the Army at the height of his career to Pvt. 2nd Class Jimi Hendrix of the 101st Airborne playing his red Silvertone Danelectro guitar in the barracks at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Johnny Cash, B.B. King and George Strait served our nation in uniform. In more recent years, famous musicians who are veterans include Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Maynard James Keenan of Tool, rappers Ice-T and Shaggy, and country artists Jamey Johnson, Craig Morgan, Josh Gracin and James Otto.

Here are some veterans making the very best music out there.

War Hippies

Scott “Scooter” Brown, a former Marine, and Donnie Reis, who was in the Army, first met during the pandemic when their lives as touring country musicians had come to a halt.

war hippies album cover features two men in the background

Scott 'Scooter' Brown and Donnie Reis make up the War Hippies.

Courtesy War Hippies

Both age 42 and combat veterans of the Iraq War, they decided to get together in Reis’ studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and War Hippies was born.

“I like the saying, ‘It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war,” Brown told AARP Veteran Report. “We believe in peace and love, but if anyone threatens to take away our freedom and loved ones, we’ll fight you for it and do anything to protect it.”

Iraq helped shape him. “Serving in combat taught me the importance of listening,” he said. “I realized prior to that I had never really listened to the words of songs. It turned me into a songwriter.”

He added, “I prefer to write based on real-life experiences, whether it’s a Western-themed song telling a story, such as ‘Hangman,’ or ‘Make It Out Alive,’ which is about a promise I made to God when I got out of Iraq.”

Silence & Light

a young child sits at a piano in the album cover for the silence and light album coulda, shoulda, woulda

Silence & Light was founded by Jason Everman and Brad Thomas.

Courtesy Silence & Light

Another combat-seasoned band that’s been getting a lot of attention recently is Silence & Light, founded by former Nirvana and Soundgarden guitarist Jason Everman.

After having the gut-wrenching distinction of being kicked out of two of the most successful bands of the ’90s, Everman, now 55, became an Army Ranger and served with distinction in Special Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2017, Everman joined with onetime Delta Force operator Brad Thomas to form Silence & Light, a band composed entirely of veterans, including the Marines, Air Force and Navy. The band has gained a steady following ever since, especially among fans of the dark and heavy Seattle sound. Check out “War” and “Slinky.”

Zach Bryan

Zach Bryan, 27, was just 17 when he enlisted in the Navy. He was honorably discharged in 2021 after he shot to stardom when he used a phone to film himself singing “Heading South” on an acoustic guitar outside his barracks.

trees, power lines and sky behind text of the song title something in the orange

Zach Bryan was nominated for a Grammy with 'Something in the Orange.'

Courtesy Warner Records

The song was a viral hit, and Bryan went from posting homemade videos on Twitter and YouTube to performing at the Grand Ole Opry almost overnight. Reflecting on his service in an Instagram post after leaving the Navy, he said, “I ran with some big dogs, saw a few fights, outdrank the best of them, but more importantly, got to serve alongside some of the best men and women I was ever blessed enough to meet.”

He added, “Can’t tell if I’m a coward or if I’m chasing a dream, but regardless, the best eight years of my life were spent serving the best country in the whole damn world.”

Soldier Hard

Fans of hip-hop should seek out combat veteran Jeff Barillaro, a.k.a. Soldier Hard. Barillaro joined the Army just out of high school and served for four years before going AWOL and spending two months in an Army jail.

recording artist soldier hard poses with his head down wearing a black t shirt and red baseball hat

Combat veteran Jeff Barillaro is also known as Soldier Hard.

Courtesy Soldier Hard

After 9/11, he reenlisted and served until 2010, when he was honorably discharged as a sergeant. Barillaro, 56, started recording raps while still on active duty in Iraq as a way to unwind and process the tension of combat, using a small recording setup with a mattress against the wall to soundproof his room.

Back home in California, he struggled with the effects of the war and was diagnosed with PTSD. These days, he often performs at military bases and organizes free events for veterans. He recently collaborated with rapper Sabo Nsaent, a former Army tank crewman, to record “Mama Said.”