Sometimes a song can say what words cannot.
That idea came to life in Nashville on Sept. 9, when Face the Fight® brought veterans, artists, advocates and leaders together for Louder Together: Music and the Movement to End Veteran Suicide. The conversation explored how music creates connection, reduces isolation and opens the door to support before a crisis.
Face the Fight is a movement of more than 300 organizations working together to dramatically reduce veteran suicide. While music provided the backdrop for the conversation, the lessons shared that day resonated far beyond the room.
Music can help us feel less alone.
For Army veteran and musician Scotty Hasting, that idea is deeply personal.
“During COVID, I was really struggling, and I needed something to get out of my head. You know, when it gets quiet is when the demons knock the loudest. And COVID was very quiet.”
To help process his pain, Hasting picked up a guitar, learned to write songs, and eventually began performing. At the Louder Together event, he performed a song born from the survivor’s guilt he experienced after losing his best friend and fellow soldier.
Grammy Award-winning artist Amy Grant described a similar role for music in her own life, sharing how she returned to songwriting during her own healing journey because it gave her a way to articulate specific thoughts.
Their experiences point to something larger: Music does not have to provide an answer to be meaningful. Sometimes its power is giving someone a way to express an experience, recognize themselves in someone else’s story, or feel less alone.
Connection begins before someone asks for help.
Dr. Priya Gandhi of Crisis Text Line reminded the audience that people do not always have the words to seek help, even when they are looking for connection. The initial message does not have to be “I need help.” It can simply be “hello.” What matters is knowing there is another human being on the other end.
That expands what connection can look like in practice. It might be a song that resonates, a text from a friend, a conversation with a family member or a community that creates a sense of belonging. The first step does not need to be perfect. It needs to create an opening.
Belonging grows when we keep showing up.
“Everybody wants to be a part of something that matters,” Grant shared during the conversation.
Creating that sense of belonging takes more than a single moment. As Gary Sinise put it, “We have seen what the simple act of showing up can do for somebody. It’s important that we continue to show up.”
Showing up means listening without judgment. It means checking in again, not just once. And it means connecting someone to additional support when they need it.
Veteran suicide prevention does not belong to any one organization, profession or community. We all have a role to play in creating connection and helping veterans, military families, caregivers and survivors know they are not alone.
Music may open the door. What matters most is what we do with that moment of connection once it is open.
Learn what connection can look like in practice and explore Face the Fight at WeFaceTheFight.org.
