“Songwriting With Soldiers” Retreats Repairing Pain With Song

Vets and musicians meet to craft personal songs 
Associated Press
By MICHAEL HILL
Sunday, December 28, 2014

Iraq combat veteran Adan Olid, center, works on a song with songwriters Darden Smith, left, and Marshall Crenshaw during the Songwriting With Soldiers retreat at the Carey Institute for Global Good on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014, in Rensselaerville, N.Y. Olid is one of more than 100 veterans who have turned their stories into sometimes affectingly personal songs at Songwriting With Soldiers retreats. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

RENSSELAERVILLE, N.Y. (AP) - Adan Olid’s life took a turn on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

As he stood at a railing, the troubled Iraq War veteran decided not to jump. He felt inspired to work through the “ghost-like feeling” of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Now that pivotal moment for Olid has inspired a song - written, performed and recorded by professionals. The 29-year-old former Marine is one of more than 100 veterans who have turned their stories into sometimes affectingly personal songs at “Songwriting With Soldiers” retreats.

Vets work with musicians hunched over guitars who turn anecdotes and raw feelings into lyrics and melody. Songs are laced with lyrics about “bullet catchers,” sacrifice, “hillbilly armor,” death and, in the case of Olid, renewal on a bridge. “I think music does a lot more than a pill can do,” said Olid, who wants to share his song with other veterans. Olid was deployed to Iraq three times before leaving the Marines as a sergeant in 2011.

Like many veterans, the stress of close calls or memories of dying friends lingered when he returned to Southern California. Music has been a comfort to Olid, especially the music of Johnny Cash and the old rockabilly stars. He uses recorded songs at his job as a counselor for fellow veterans and even plays guitar a little. It was a natural progression for him to attend the recent songwriting retreat at the Carey Institute for Global Good in rural Rensselaerville, near his Albany-area home.
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