In honour of Monday marking the 78th anniversary of D-Day, a team of veterans wrote and released a song for other war vets.
"We wrote this song as a tribute to veterans who risked their lives for everyone," said Keith Mullins, songwriter and producer at Barn Bhreagh Studios in Baddeck, N.S.
The song is called Renegades and is a part of an album written with veterans, for veterans.
Six men and women from across Canada, who have served in the military, took part in the project.
"I get together with a vet one at a time, and they tell me their story," Mullins explained. "This song that I posted on YouTube, Renegades, was written with Sindy Maysfield. She was in bomb removal in Afghanistan."
Fabian Henry helps head the group Veterans for Healing. He says for himself, and the six others who contributed to these songs, it was about honouring the sacrifices made on June 6, 1944 - while also addressing the needs of today's veterans.
"It's special for us. You know, 'We will remember them' is a slogan we all use in the military," Henry said. "For those that have actually been fighting the Taliban and other wars, not just Afghanistan - yeah, they all hit home. All six songs are going to touch you a little bit."
The veterans came together in August 2021 for a song camp retreat in Cape Breton. From there, the songs were written in just a few days.
Henry says this August, they'll be back to do it again.
"To see the transformation of these individuals just through song alone is magnificent,"he said.
Mullins says 50 per cent of the proceeds from the album will go towards Veterans for Healing.
However, for the veterans themselves, there's an additional benefit each time someone listens.
"We don't have to keep telling our story over and over. You can kind of hear it through the music now," Henry said.
The album can only be found on Mullins website.
