Soldier Songs & Voices

Founded by Dustin Welch

Our Mission
Music has been lauded consistently through the ages as a therapeutic element to both those who create music and those who listen to music. Learning to play an instrument or learning to write songs, helps the brain to retrain and repair itself in a safe and healthy environment. Workshops hosted by experienced songwriters are conducted weekly or monthly at venues in cities across the country. The goal of Soldier Songs & Voices is to improve the quality of life of veterans and their families through songwriting and music.

Reveille Songwriting Retreat Music Healing Education

our programs

songwriting workshops & music lessons

Are you interested in learning an instrument or joining our free music workshops? We have nationwide chapters led by songwriters and musicians that want to work with you.

Start a local chapter

Soldier Songs & Voices has chapters all across the nation. If you are interested in starting a local chapter in your community, please reach out. We have resources ready to help you found and grow a new SSV chapter.

Start a chapter

Sustainable programs

Our programs are designed to be year around and provided free to our veterans. We depend on our donors to provide sustainable music therapy services to our veterans and their families.

DONATE

SSV Team

President

Dustin Welch

Founder and President Dustin Welch established Soldier Songs and Voices in 2011. Dustin has been a professional musician for over 20 years, with songs recorded by dozens of artists.

Dustin received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Veteran Affairs in 2016 for his musical contribution to benefit homeless veterans; acted as Music Director for the Austin Veteran Arts Festival in 2019; has led music workshops for the Boys and Girls Club at Ft. Cavazos, and led workshops for combat veterans through the Texas Heritage Music Foundation; serves as an adjudicator for the Texas Commision on the Arts; and as the original chapter master, has led weekly Soldier Songs and Voices sessions since 2011. It's inspiring...it's a beautiful thing.

dustin@soldiersongsandvoices.com

Director of Operations

Matt Forehand

Matt Forehand, a retired combat medic in the National Guard, joined Soldier Songs and Voices in early 2018 as Director of Operations.

He began working in the Video Game Industry in 2005 as an animator rising to Senior Producer for Bandai Namco, Disney, Pixar, and Sony, producing over 50 video games and movies. With a concentration on early childhood education, he won two game of the year awards from Apple and a Parent’s Choice Gold Medal. While at Bandai, he was responsible for all Licensing, Merchandising, and product development for the PAC-MAN brand. Matt has a Project Management Professional Certification with over 20 years of experience.

matt@soldiersongsandvoices.com

Vice President

Tony Rosario

Vice-President Tony Rosario Tony has been a professional musician and songwriter for over 40 years, with songs recorded by multiple artists. He taught songwriting and music performance at Metro State University in Denver, Co.

In 2010 Tony was primary in founding an organization called "Soldier Songs" in Grand Junction, Co to provide free music lessons and instruments to Veterans - and in 2011 joined forces with former neighbor Dustin Welch and The Voices Of A Grateful Nation staff based out of San Marcos, Tx, to create Soldier Songs And Voices. In 2018 Tony was instrumental in introducing a very successful and 1st ever music-therapy program to the Denver VA Hospital . Tony has received awards of Appreciation from the Department of Veteran Affair

tony@soldiersongsandvoices.com