Country Music Singers Who Served in the Military

Willie Nelson served in the U.S. Air Force after high school in 1950. But the country music legend only served for nine months. The military medically discharged him due to Nelson experiencing severe back problems. In the years since Nelson has been passionate about helping veterans. He advocated for funds for healthcare for wounded veterans.

“I was in the Air Force a while and they had what they call ‘policing the area,'” Nelson said. “That’s where you looked around and if there’s anything wrong here, there, anywhere, you took care of your own area. And I think that’s a pretty good thing to go by. If everyone just takes care of their own area then we won’t have any problems. Be here. Be present. Wherever you are, be there. And look around you and see what needs to be changed.”

Besides being a country music great, George Jones was also a U.S. Marine. The singer spent four years in the Marines, starting in 1951.

Completing his basic training, Jones served on an airbase in San Jose, California. It was during this time that Jones continued to hone his musical craft. He would leave base on the weekends to play at local events.

Many country music fans may not know this, but George Strait is also a military veteran. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1971 and served four years.

Strait spent his final leg of service stationed in Hawaii where he worked on his music career. Like Jones, the military was a productive time for Strait’s music. He joined the Army-sponsored band Rambling Country and also played with Santee off base.

The late John Prine also served in the military after graduating high school. The U.S. Army drafted him to serve in their ranks. During his four-year stint with the military, Prine was stationed in West Germany where he worked on military vehicles as a mechanic.

After his service, Prine worked as a mail carrier before finding a career as a songwriter and singer. He passed away earlier this year from COVID-19 related complications.

The military was a tradition in Kris Kristofferson’s family. Both Kristofferson’s father and brother served as did Kristofferson himself. He joined the Army in 1960 becoming a helicopter pilot. It wasn’t long before he worked his way up to the rank of Captain. West Point even offered him a teaching position, but he turned them down to pursue a career in music.

“I want you to know I’m an Army brat,” Kristofferson said. “I was a captain in the Army and my brother was a jet pilot in the Navy. So I support our troops; I identify with them. But I sure as hell don’t identify with the bastards who sent them over there.”

Before he was a country singer, Sturgill Simpson served in the U.S. Navy. The musician hasn’t forgotten his military roots since transitioning into a music career. His third album was titled A Sailor’s Guide to Earth. Simpson has continued to find success in the industry.

“The fact that there are a million people around the world Googling my name and trying to figure out who the hell I am right now is just enough for me,” Simpson said.

Jamey Johnson decided to drop out of college to join the Marines. The future country singer spent eight years in the military. During his stint, Johnson quickly climbed the ranks to Corporal. Since leaving the military, the singer continues to respect veterans and their service.

“I respect the Marines,” he said. “They gave me guidance and stability. I’d wake up every day and have a purpose.”

Country music legend Conway Twitty almost became a professional baseball player instead. The Philadelphia Phillies wanted Twitty to play on their team. But the U.S. Army drafted him in the Korean War.

While stationed, Twitty continued to play baseball for a local Army team but also found a renewed love for music. After serving, Twitty decided to focus on musical aspirations instead of baseball.

James Otto also grew up in a military family. Both his father and grandfather served their country. Otto followed in their footsteps by joining the Navy.

“I come from a military family. My Dad served in the Army for 23 years,” Otto said. “My grandfather on my mom’s side is a Korean War vet, and by serving in the Navy, I was able to see the world by the time I was 20 years old. It gave me discipline and made me a man, and let me tell you, experiencing places all over the world made me really grateful to live in this country. Life may not be perfect here, but man, it could really be a lot worse. Ultimately, I think I gained the fortitude to move to Nashville and really pursue music.”

Before he became the Man in Black, Johnny Cash worked as a code breaker for the U.S. Air Force. Cash spent most of his four-year stint stationed in Landsberg, West Germany. He excelled as a code breaker intercepting Soviet Union radio messages. He was even the first person to learn Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had died. During this time, he also formed a band with other military members called the Landsberg Barbarians.

“We were terrible,” he said later, “but that Lowenbrau beer will make you feel like you’re great. We’d take our instruments to these honky-tonks and play until they threw us out or a fight started.”