Kelly gets email and letters from friends, vets and you. Read on:
From: TKulpinski Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 12:01 PM Subject: report on our Kokomo Vietnam Vets Reunion
I warn you all, this is a very long letter! So go to the bathroom first before you start.
If I may, I would like to share my feelings and experiences about this event down in Kokomo Indiana. I am NOT a writer and there are probably many mistakes, so bare with me!
When Kelly told us about her being invited to the "Howard County Vietnam Veterans Organization" (HCVVO) reunion. (Which just wasn't a reunion for the Vietnam Veterans but also a reunion that where the Huey Helicopter was one of the a main staples in the Vietnam War. These men were also honoring this helicopter and the men who flew them).
Cathy and I talked about going down to support Kelly. We heard all of Kelly's stories about her experiences she encountered when she had been playing for the Veterans in the smaller posts around the area. She told us of how men had opened up to her and how her music helped them cope with so many difficult memories. Cathy and I felt the need to do more then to support Kelly, we needed to experience this for ourselves.
We left with camper in tow Friday afternoon. The day did not go as planned. We started off late (which anyone who knows us, yeah it's the norm). We then took the wrong route which added almost an hour to the trip. When we arrived in Kokomo, the gentlemen behind the counter at the gas station, gave us the wrong directions to the event. We finally had to stop and get directions again, and this time they were correct. We pulled up to a large field full of campers tents and a ocean of American flags. We definitely knew we were not lost anymore.
As soon as we pulled into the entrance, we were greeted with hospitality. A veteran running security jumped on his golf cart and took us to our site, only to find 2 cars parked there. The gentleman got on the radio and it was like a swarm of bee's on golf carts converging to our site to see what needed to be done to correct the situation. It took and hour and a half but, finally we were on our site setting up. Instantly we were greeted with Veterans coming up to us shaking our hands thanking us for coming and saying a phrase that I had never heard before "Welcome home Brother"! We didn't know what it really meant until later on. All the wrongs things that happened on Friday fizzled away quickly! What I was getting riled up about, meant nothing anymore.
That night we walked down to the main stage area. There was a field of golf carts, chairs and hundreds of people standing watching the entertainment. Kelly introduced us to many Veterans that she met over the course of the week. It was amazing to see these men open up and talk to us within minutes of meeting them. After about an hour, I asked one Veteran, "Why did you talked to me about your experiences without knowing me?" He said with a huge smile "This is what we call the HEALING FIELD and we all need this"! I knew at that moment that, this was not going to be an ordinary camping trip, and that we knew we came down here for a reason! We talked some more and he shared some more stories with me about what he went through at Vietnam and what he went through when he came home. I asked him if I could ask one more question. I was not going to ask about anything bad or any horror stories. It was just that I wanted to hear what he thought about how military Veterans now get a much more positive "welcome home" then what most soldiers went through back then. He actually thanked me for asking him that question. He said that he does not speak for every Vietnam Veteran and he knows some men do not share the same feelings that he does. What he said was that he was glad to see this country treat the Veterans better and with more respect. He would never want to see what he saw back then, ever happen again! What more can you say?
The next morning we were at the opening ceremonies. We stood there proudly while they played the "National Anthem", I watched all of the veterans stand up, stand at attention and salute the flag. This in itself, was a very emotional time for me. To see these men salute there flag, be proud of being an American after all they went through! It surely was an humbling experience. They then played "Taps", absolutely beautiful! Right after, Kelly was honored to stand up there and sing her song "Cold Sweat". This was well received by the veterans.
After the ceremonies, we went back to the campsite. There was a van and about 5 veterans at the site next to us. They came up to us and introduced themselves right away. They were members of the 77th Armor Division, they were called the "Steel Tigers". They served from 1968 to 1969. What an amazing, great bunch of people they are. We talked them into going down to the stage and listen to Kelly sing at 2 pm. They all went down.
Kelly started singing with her acoustic guitar along with her producer Daniel. They sounded GREAT!! Cathy was inside the fence at the table helping with the selling of Kelly's items. When Kelly started singing "Cold Sweat". There were some Veterans along the fence near us, hanging there heads down and crying. Cathy went to each one of them and hugged them. It was the beginning of a very emotional day.
After Kelly sang, she signed autographs and talked to the veterans. Cathy, Kelly and her helpers, all went back into the pole barn to her booth. I stayed out, next to the stage. The next couple of hours, were probably some of the most emotional times of the week-end for me.
There was a Preacher that started singing on stage. He had a prosthetic arm and leg. He was a very good singer and I enjoyed listening to him but kept wondered what happened to him. Just as I was thinking that, a veteran nudged me and said "Do you want to know what happened to him?" I was stunned that he did that at that moment. He then proceeded to tell me about how this soldier was so badly shot up and barely alive, they put him with other deceased soldiers to be removed from the field. It was only when the Huey helicopter soldiers were loading the bodies and noticed he was still breathing. His life was spared and he is here today preaching God's word. We are all here for a reason!
He stopped singing and was talking to the crowd. He said there is a song by Ray Charles that he would not sing because he could never duplicate the heart and raw feeling that Ray put into recording of this song. It was "America the Beautiful". When the song played, every soldier stood up, turned towards the flag and saluted once more. No words can express the emotion I was feeling when I witnessed this! About half way through the song, I couldn't hold back my emotions anymore. I started to cry, knowing I am in a great country with great people! I have never been so proud to be an "American"! Here I am standing there by myself with emotions pouring out, when a veteran came up to me out of nowhere and gave me a hug, patted my back and said "Welcome Home Brother"! What can you say about the Human spirit? The sacrifice these men gave to their Country, and how they can forgive and move on! I stood there with my head down and thanked God!
The other defining moment, came when there was a "flyover" with the Huey helicopter. There was a flag between two poles. The poles are about 60 feet tall, with the American flag draped down between them. It was the largest flag that I have ever seen. The helicopter flew overhead and turned and flew away from behind the flag. It positioned itself hovering about a quarter of a mile away. They lowered the flag about halfway down the poles. I was facing directly at the flag and wondered what was going to happen. Just then, the Huey started flying toward the flag from behind it. The closer it came up to the flag, the higher up the poles the flag went. When the flag was at the top of the poles, the Huey was hovering directly over it. The Veterans all stood and raised there arms in the air, showing support and thanks to this machine that meant so much to them. It then took off to the right of the flag went down a ways and turned around and came back. It hovered over the flag broadside. There were soldiers inside of the Huey saluting the crowd. The crowd responded with a cheer and a salute back. Once again, an emotional time for me and everyone on the ground!
I started to feel guilty that I had never served in the Armed Forces. I had listened to these men, tell me about their service to their country and I could not say "I know what you are talking about". There was one man who changed my views.
I was back at Kelly's camper, when Cathy came out of the pole barn, where she had been talking to a Veteran. She said that she wanted me to meet this man. He was a larger man with long hair and a long beard. He was saying how this is the only place where he can cry openly! He told me that, in the outside world, he is a different person and that some people actually fear him. I shook his hand and thanked him for his sacrifice. He squeezed my hand tighter and said "No I thank you"! I said in a cracking voice, "But Sir, I have never served in the military"! He then put his arms around me and said into my ear, "Because of that, you being here means more to us then anything"! At this moment, something inside of me changed! I no longer felt guilty. The good Lord was telling me that we were at this event for a reason!
We stayed for awhile longer and went back to the camp. There, we met up with our new friends the "Steel Tigers" They were very impressed with Kelly's singing and was very happy we were there! We stayed at the camp the rest of the day and night, celebrating and getting to know many Veterans. When the "Steel Tigers" were leaving (they were staying at the motel), we all hugged and they thanked us for the support we gave them. One of the members, a burly man by the name of Jocko, said as he hugged me, "You are now a brother of the Steel Tigers"! To me that was such an amazing honor to bestowed on me! I thanked them again for what they had done and how they accepted Cathy and I into their family. We exchanged names, addresses and e-mails and vowed to stay in touch. I have already been on their website and thanked them in the guestbook.
A little time went by when Kelly showed up at the campsite! We shared our stories about the days events. I told them about the men I talked to and how it affected me. Once again I couldn't hold back my emotions. They all hugged me and said how they all felt the same way! Kelly said that we were brought down here for a reason! It was God's way of showing us what we needed to see! We came here to learn exactly what the "Healing Field" was about and how we needed to experience the love between truly "Band of Brothers" and their families!
Sunday we ate, helped Kelly and left around 11:30. Cathy and I talked about the event and our experiences almost all the way home. (and yes, I took the correct route home)! We talked about how thankful we were to Kelly for letting us come and share the experiences with her. It was an experience I know Cathy and I will never forget. We will be attending this reunion from here on out!
I am very thankful for my Father and Uncles (whom 2 of them served in World War ll) and Cathy's Father, Uncles and family who served for this Country! We all need to thank them in many ways!
Inside Kelly's new CD, the words that are written in big bold letters, "NEVER FORGET - NEVER AGAIN" What a profound statement!
- Tim Kulpinski
Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 10:27:39 -0400 Subject: Thank You! From: pbelaire@comcast.net To: trt1060@hotmail.com
Kelly and Tina,
I want to thank you for the gift of music. Like John Denver's song, "The Music is You", you are the music and the music tells stories. I thank you for thinking of all of us in "Cold Sweat". I was at the VVA 310 meeting in which you performed this song. I sat behind you and felt the emotion of the music. I'd love to obtain the song and your album when it comes out.
Semper Fidelis, Pete USMC '68 - '71 RVN '69 - '70 Secretary, VVA 310
Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 01:04:29 +0000 From: mjmartinmusic@comcast.net To: Johnalva@aol.com; trt1060@hotmail.com CC: gary.lillie@gmail.com Subject: Re: Kelly Trudell support needed ...
Kelly , My buddy John Kinzinger sent me the song, "Cold Sweat," and asked me to comment on it. I am a decorated combat vet of the Vietnam War. I'm also a professional singer-songwriter living outside Nashville. I've recorded about a dozen albums and written hundreds of songs and performed all over America. I also co-founded a veteran advocacy group called "The Last Patrol," in 1985 that has marched thousands of miles to focus on veteran concerns. (For more background, see www.myspace.com/michaeljmartinmusic )
My buddy Gary Lillie also called me about you recently and said you reminded him of me. I must say that you're much better looking. I really like the quality of your voice. I also appreciate that you're using your talent to sing about unsung heroes. I certainly know what that "Cold Sweat" is about and those close to me know the dangers of waking me when I'm in the zone.
Since you asked, I'll give you an honest critique of the song. I cringe everytime I hear that tired cliche about how we were "spat upon." There may have been incidents of that, but I believe it has been exaggerated to the point that the myth has become our history. Ask a class of students to list 10 things they know about Vietnam and "spat upon" will make every list, usually at the top. Personally, I would have killed anyone who dared to spit on me and so would most true combat vets I know. Yet, I don't know of a single incident of such retaliation. What are the odds? A guy will go off when you touch him while he's asleep, but it's ok to spit on him? In my view, it undermines the veracity of the song and is unnecessary. You should change that line.
However, the most important aspect of the war is The Brotherhood. We love each other and would die for each other and a part of us died every time we took a loss. And we are haunted by that still. That part you got right. I encourage you to continue to share your music with vets and their loved ones. You must know by now how much it is appreciated.
Good luck, Michael J. Martin
Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 21:27:30 -0400 Subject: Re: Kelly Trudell support needed ... From: gary.lillie@gmail.com To: trt1060@hotmail.com CC: Johnalva@aol.com
Kelly & Tina,
I read Michael's response and differ with him. For the moment I will only write of the book that was written about it, Coming Home or Homecoming, something like that. A newspaper columnist wanted to dispell the "myth" of Vietnam Vets being spit upon so wrote a column challenging any Vietnam Vet that was spit upon to write him. He was stunned at the response he got. Hundreds of letters describing what happened to the individuals.
There were also letters saying that they received a great welcome.
So, let's just say that 50% of the letters were fake, that still leaves a sampling of hundreds. Keep in mind that most people do not respond to something like that, they just try to turn it off, or in those days, many of them just went and had another drunk (I used the word I intended).
In the documentary Shakey's Hill, a former general tells of being spit on in a train station by a well dressed middle-aged lady.
A friend of mine and John's, Greg Stewart, who works for Washtenaw County, told me of laying on a stretcher in a terminal in San Francisco, with one arm missing and 17 holes in his body, when a young lady came up to his stretcher and spit on him, telling him he should have been killed.
Michael came from West Texas and grew up in New Mexico. He comes from an area that is rought and tumble, He wa a warrior before he ever went to Vietnam. I know a lot of guys who were just too burned out when they came back and had it happened to them they would have just been too stunned and too numb to do anything but stare.
Finally, I was very drunk one night in Lansing, not long after I got back. I had met a friend that I served with and eventually he went home and I stayed in the bar. I was shooting pool with a stereotypical professor, about 30, bearded and wearing a corduroy sport coat - every teacher still wore coats and ties back then - when somehow the subject of Vietnam came up.
I don't remember the specifics of what he said as he sneered and mocked me to the others, as though I were not even there. I only know that I was so numb, mentally, that I could only stare and then try to shoot pool. When the game was over I went and got a motel room and slept it off.
To me, I was spat upon that night. What is the word for symbolism in an instance such as that?
Gary Lillie Seabee MCB3 Chu Lai RVN '66 www.veteransradio.net www.svnlillie.com
These lyrics are really good, I like them. However, I think it'd flow better if you wrote "Spat at me" rather than "spat on me". Also, I saw and heard of more urine thrown than spittle Bodily fluids would sound even better..leaves a lot to the imagation.
Anyhow, these are my gut feelings A really close friend & Brother, asked for opinions. So without all the credentials and experience in the music world, I'll still venture my opinion as written above and if you don't agree with my assessment, well, that's what the "delete" button is for!!
Semper-Fi and the best of luck,
Ron 'Big Doc' Smith,ret. HM/ 3, FMF, USN 3rd Marines
1967-1968 RVN
PS: Your Voice is sooo easy to listen too.
cc/ Michael J. Martin
From: Johnalva@aol.com Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 18:21:36 -0400 Subject: Kelly Trudell singing her new song 'Cold Sweat' at Frenchies, pass it along. To: Johnalva@aol.com
Please, Veterans especially, take a moment and listen to Kelly Trudell's new song "Cold Sweat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omJBMrrqHUA
She will be performing this and some other songs as one of our great performers at our June 10th Frenchies fund raiser to Support Our Troops. Plan to come out and hear her, Stacy Mason (fiddler, Miss Michigan 1993) and Tom Brown (super accomplished accordionist). They will be worth the effort to come out that evening from 5 to 9pm at Frenchies in Ypsilanti's Depot Town on E. Cross Street next to the Sidetrack Bar and Grill.
Hope you can make it out. Please come to spend money too, we will take donation checks. Plan to eat (we get 50 % of the total food bill), bid on items and more to raise funds for VVA 310 to send Care packages to our troops (to date VVA 310 has mailed 1,624 large package and wants to continue doing so). In the past 7 years, VVA 310 has spent over $27,000 on postage alone to send Care packages, which average $17 each for postage alone.
Questions, please email me.
John Kinzinger Board Member, VVA 310 VP, Operation Never Forgotten Commander, Ann Arbor VFW Post 423 2007 National Vietnam Veterans of America Member of the Year 2009 Ann Arbor 'Citizen of the Year'
From: Bill Estepp Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 10:59:47 -0400 Subject: cold sweat To: Kelly Trudell
Its a great song Kelly,It will bring healing to our heart and sole as it helps the soldiers to know that they will not be forgotten, I believe even the ones whose name is on the wall will say (good for you girl) don't forget me. - Bill Estepp
Kelly supports the transformation of where she lives - visit the New Jackson website. She believes in helping the vets and active soldiers of our great country - read more. Advertising, marketing and promotional services by The William A. Latocki Communication Arts Agency He can help you succeed. Contact him at 517-795-3342 Email - Results@Latocki.com
