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War Songs with Ward Davis: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Ward Davis
War Songs is a podcast hosted by Ward Davis, telling the stories of veterans and their families through music. In partnership with Operation Song, Ward sits down with veterans to explore their service, their lives, and the experiences that shaped them, one story and one song at a time.
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- Today1h 11m
“Last Monday in May” — Bob Regan, Founder of Operation Song
Last Monday in May — Bob Regan, Founder of Operation Song In this episode of War Songs, host Ward Davis sits down with his longtime friend Bob Regan, the hit songwriter who founded Operation Song and the reason this show exists. Born in Sacramento in 1948, Bob picked up a cheap, high-action guitar and a Beatles songbook after a girl broke his heart, and without realizing it built a strong left hand and a working knowledge of music theory. After graduating from UC Davis, he and his college band, the Skins, planned to play for a year or two before grad school. Fifty years later, he’s still at it. A love of hard country, from Hank Williams to Merle Haggard, shaped his first song, “Hard Liquor, Soft Music,” and Ward shares his own run-in with Merle in the studio eight months before Merle died. Bob recalls signing with Curb Records in the early ‘80s, learning the hard way that he wasn’t cut out to be an artist, and getting fired from Gary Busey’s band for telling him to put down the blow and rehearse. At 35, with two young kids, Bob moved to Nashville on a $100-a-week publishing deal and paid the bills playing bar gigs and demo sessions. His first cut, “Routine” by the Kendalls, reached number 40 and paid for a window air conditioner. Three years in, he landed his first hit with Reba McEntire’s “Till Love Comes Again,” followed by Trisha Yearwood’s “Thinking About You,” Keith Urban’s first hit, and “Here’s Hopin’,” a Roy Rogers duet with Randy Travis that Bob wrote after reading Lonesome Dove twice in a row. Bob and Ward talk about how Napster and falling CD sales reshaped the songwriting business, and Bob speaks frankly about living with Parkinson’s, which he takes on with humor in his song “Parkin’ F*ckin’ Sons.” Then they get to the heart of it. While touring military bases around the world with Armed Forces Entertainment alongside Tom Shapiro, Bob came to believe songwriting could help service members process what they were carrying. In October 2012 he began weekly one-hour sessions with veterans at the Murfreesboro VA, and a $25,000 check from the Independence Fund helped turn one man’s idea into a nonprofit that has now written nearly 3,000 songs with veterans and their families. Bob tells the story behind “The Last Monday in May,” a Memorial Day song written in an hour with songwriter Don Goodman and a group of veterans, with each verse sung in the voice of a fallen soldier from a different war, from Chancellorsville to Iraq. It was a quiet Navy veteran, Todd Foster, who offered the line that rhymed Argonne with Peleliu. Ward and Bob also discuss writing with empathy and serving as a clear lens for someone else’s story, from warship commander Joe Ring in Pearl Harbor to former POW Jim Hickerson and his wife Carol. This conversation is a tribute to a man who took a lifetime of songwriting skill and turned it toward healing, and toward preserving the stories of those who served.
- 2 weeks ago1h 4m
“Let It Be Me” — Jimmy O’Daniel, U.S. Army Veteran | Prineville Police (Ret.)
Let It Be Me — Jimmy O'Daniel, U.S. Army Veteran | Prineville Police (Ret.) In this episode of War Songs, host Ward Davis sits down with retired Army veteran and police officer Jimmy O'Daniel to explore a story of service, survival, and the profound peace found in faith. Jimmy's journey began in the small town of Prineville, Oregon, where a young man with a need to grow up and a few too many speeding tickets found his path in the military. Joining the Army at 17, he served three years on active duty at Fort Hood, Texas, as armor, driving M1A1 tanks and discovering the discipline that would shape his life. After his service, Jimmy returned home, working first in corrections at a boot camp for at-risk youth and a youth prison before finding his true calling in law enforcement. Inspired by a moment at church camp as a kid when he stood up to a bully, and guided by the moral compass of his grandmother, Jimmy built a career dedicated to protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. He became a trainer, a use of force expert, teaching officers how to fight, how to survive, and how to go home at night. But on one seemingly routine night, responding to a burglary alarm at a jewelry store after dealing with a tense standoff, Jimmy's life changed forever. What should have been a false alarm turned into a brutal fight for survival when he was ambushed and beaten repeatedly in the head with a claw hammer. For two minutes, he fought alone, believing he was dying, yet determined to take his attacker with him. When backup finally arrived and the suspect was subdued, Jimmy was left with a broken nose, broken collarbone, puncture wounds, and eleven documented strikes to his head. But within days, something miraculous happened. The swelling vanished. The pain disappeared. His injuries healed in a way that defied medical explanation. Jimmy describes the experience as a glimpse of where warriors go, a moment of peace and faith that carried him through. Yet the aftermath brought its own battles. PTSD, survivor's guilt, and the devastating loss of his best friend Mark to suicide became the wars fought at home. Through it all, Jimmy found purpose in teaching, in forgiveness, and in sharing his story. Paired with songwriter Tom McIlvain through Operation Song, Jimmy crafted a powerful anthem titled "Let It Be Me," a warrior's prayer that speaks to sacrifice, service, and the selfless spirit of those who stand in harm's way so others don't have to. This conversation dives into the realities of law enforcement, the cost of service, the power of faith, and the importance of mental health in the warrior community. It's about finding peace in the chaos, forgiving the unforgivable, and understanding that life is too short to waste time on hate. Jimmy's story is a testament to resilience, brotherhood, and the belief that if someone has to take the hit, let it be me.
- 4 weeks ago49 min
“Shots Fired” — PO1 Nix White, U.S. Navy SEAL (Ret.) | Frog-X
Shots Fired — PO1 Nix White, U.S. Navy SEAL (Ret.) | Frog-X In this episode of War Songs, host Ward Davis sits down with retired Navy SEAL Petty Officer First Class Nix White to explore a different kind of military story—one that celebrates the brotherhood, the adventure, and the moments worth raising a glass to. Nix's journey began in the plains of Kansas, where a young man with dreams of flying watched Top Gun one too many times and joined the Navy. Starting as an avionics technician on H3 helicopters, he got out briefly, realized civilian life wasn't for him, and went back in as a cook. But being a cook wasn't the endgame. In January 1995, Nix started BUD/S with Class 200 and finished with the same class, beginning a career that would span decades in Naval Special Warfare. From the freezing nights of Hell Week on Steel Pier, where the cold metal sucks every ounce of warmth from your body, to teaching thousands of future SEALs as an instructor at Coronado, Nix has seen both sides of the crucible. He spent years as a military freefall jumper and shooting instructor, teaching the fundamentals that keep warriors alive. After retiring in 2009, he spent another 14 years teaching at SEAL training and EOD, passing on the craft of shooting and tactical skills to the next generation. But Nix didn't want to leave the camaraderie behind. He founded Frog-X Parachute Team with fellow leapfrogs and special operators, traveling across America jumping into baseball games, football stadiums, NASCAR events, and live golf tournaments. Sixteen years later, they're still doing it, still having fun, and still hanging out with the same guys who became family through service. When Nix connected with Operation Song through his teammate JC Ledbetter and friends in Nashville, he was skeptical at first. But after attending a gala and witnessing the power of veterans telling their stories through music, he was all in. Paired with songwriter Tom McIlvain, Nix didn't want to write a dark, gut-wrenching song. He wanted something different—a two-stepping, honky-tonk anthem that captured the spirit of living life to the fullest. The result is "Shots Fired," a rollicking country tune about Old Number Seven, 80-proof plans, and the devil's right hand. This conversation dives into the realities of SEAL training, the silent professional mentality, the importance of keeping stories real, and why Nix's hero is his mom who sacrificed everything to raise him right. It's about finding purpose after service, staying connected to the brotherhood, and never losing sight of what matters—family, fun, and a life well lived. Special thanks to Newton Nissan Studios in Gallatin, Tennessee, and Prince Street Pizza and Pub. Learn more about Operation Song at operationsong.org Learn more about Frog-X Parachute Team at frogxparachuteteam.com
- Sep 25, 202657 min
“Over the Wire” — 1SG Mike Byer, U.S. Army (Ret.) | Operation Song
Over the Wire — 1SG Mike Byer, U.S. Army (Ret.) | Operation Song Before history was written, it was sung. This is the premiere episode of War Songs, where host Ward Davis sits down with retired First Sergeant Mike Byer to explore the powerful intersection of military service, personal struggle, and the healing power of music. Mike's journey began in Indiana, raised by a single mother who instilled in him a fierce work ethic. After initially joining the Air Force and feeling misled by his recruiter, he found his true calling in the Army at age 27, eventually serving 21 years with the legendary 101st Airborne Division. His deployments spanned from Kuwait and Egypt in the early '90s to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2008, where he commanded a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) company flying dangerous reconnaissance missions. But Mike's toughest battle came after his service ended. Medically retired and diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's, he found himself on 30 pills a day, walking with a cane, and spiraling into darkness. The military had defined him for two decades, and without that identity, he struggled to find purpose. It was his granddaughter Emma, barely walking and knocking on his door asking for her "pop pop," that became his turning point. Mike's path to recovery involved stripping away medications, creating daily checklists starting with simple tasks like making his bed, and discovering the guitar. Teaching himself to play at 2 a.m., he found that music offered something prescription drugs never could. This led him to start his own nonprofit, Sounds of Acoustic Recovery (SOAR), teaching veterans to play guitar. Then came his meeting with Bob Regan and Operation Song. Initially skeptical, Mike attended a retreat in 2013 where he sat down with songwriter Travis Meadows. In just 30 minutes, they created "Over the Wire," a powerful song about passing the torch to his son who had just graduated from basic training. That moment changed everything. Mike realized the mission wasn't just about the song, it was about the story, about giving veterans a voice that would live on in perpetuity. Now serving as Executive Director of Operation Song, Mike has dedicated himself to expanding the program across the country, from Florida to Wisconsin to California. The organization has become his purpose, helping veterans tell their stories through music, whether they're struggling with trauma or simply want to share their experiences. This conversation covers the realities of deployment, the challenge of losing military identity, the power of family, and how four chords and the truth can save a life. Mike's story reminds us that being a soldier is what you did, not who you are, and that finding yourself after service is the most important mission of all. Special thanks to Newton Nissan Studios in Gallatin, Tennessee, and Prince Street Pizza and Pub. Learn more about Operation Song at operationsong.org
About War Songs with Ward Davis
War Songs is a podcast hosted by Ward Davis, telling the stories of veterans and their families through music. In partnership with Operation Song, Ward sits down with veterans to explore their service, their lives, and the experiences that shaped them, one story and one song at a time.
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