Veterans Day may be a time to honor those who served our country, but they’re not the only ones who make sacrifices so that all of us can sleep safely at night.
Military spouses may not be on the front lines, but the sacrifices they make are no less valuable or important to recognize. From taking care of their family while their spouse is away to going to bed every night not knowing whether their loved one is going to make it home safely, and supporting our veterans when they return home, these women and men serve their country in their own way, and one that’s no less important.
Of course country music is filled with songs honoring those who served. But country newcomer Jessie G just dropped one to not only honor our veterans, but also all of the military spouses on the journey with them.
If you’re not familiar with Jessie G, she was previously signed to Gretchen Wilson’s Redneck Records after opening for the “Redneck Woman” on a recent tour.
She scored her first radio hit with “Like My Whiskey” featuring Gretchen Wilson herself. And now she’s an independent artist ready to start putting out her own music.
Just in time for Veterans Day, Jessie draws on her experience as a military spouse for her latest single “Dress Blues.” Her husband, who’s now out of the military, served in the US Army Special Forces as a Green Beret – and one thing that struck her about his service was the dress blues that our military members wear:
“Something that always made an impression on myself as a military spouse was that this one uniform was worn for weddings, military balls and many other formal events, but then it is also worn to funerals and some service members are buried in their Dress Blues. In the song specifically the uniform is there from the beginning till the end and it changes meaning as the story of the song develops.”
And the song perfectly captures the unique experiences that can be symbolized by a soldier in their dress blues:
“Sun glarin’ through the trees and the leaves are gone
The sounds of guns and a bugle’s song
One headstone on the plot for two
A long black dress and your dress blues
Oh I will lay you down
And lay by your side when I’m homeward bound
And I’ve never felt the way I do
Seeing you there in your dress blues”
There’s no doubt that this one will hit hard for all of the military spouses out there who have had to watch their loved ones leave without knowing when – or if – they would be home.
But on Veterans Day, it’s an important reminder of the sacrifices that not only our veterans have made, but that all of their loved ones make too.
Thank you to all of our veterans, and all of the military spouses out there who support them. We can never pay you back for the sacrifices you make.
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