When the Twin Towers fell sixteen years ago, there was fear and uncertainty, but there was also a heightened sense of patriotism in the country. Many helped their fellow Americans physically and emotionally during a time that none of us were prepared for, while others helped on a national scale by joining a branch of the Armed Forces. Traditional country artist Shane Owens‘ “19” tells the story of one of those Americans; a nineteen year old high school football star who dropped his scholarship to Tennessee to enlist in the Marines, and who in the end paid the ultimate price.
But on the day those Twin Towers came down
His whole world turned around
He told them all I can’t play ball there’s a war on now
He marched right in with a few good men
And joined the marines
At nineteen
The poignant song, written by Tom Hambridge, Jeffrey Steele, and Gary Nicholson, tells such a universal and, sadly, common story that Owens’ has heard many personal accounts of loss from fans at his shows; a reminder that this story occurred, and still is, in cities and small towns all over this country.
As our country still recovers emotionally from the events of that tragic day forward, Owens’ decided to donate all net proceeds from sales of “19” to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). TAPS’ mission is to offer compassionate care to all those grieving the loss of a military loved one.
Click here to purchase or stream “19”.
For more information on Shane Owens, visit his website at: www.shaneowenscountry.com
For more information on TAPS, please visit: www.taps.org