On May 24, Jamey Johnson will release his much-anticipated new song called “21 Guns,” which was inspired by attending the funerals of fellow Marines who paid the ultimate price in service to their country.
Johnson will perform the national television debut of the powerful song during PBS’ National Memorial Day Concert, which airs live nationwide on May 26.
“I wrote it because I have gone to too many funerals of Marines I served with that were just too young,” Johnson says. “Guys that heroic that die that young deserve the right to grow old and they didn’t get to. This song is the answer to that question.”
Johnson attended Jacksonville State University for several years before joining the U.S. Marines, serving from 1994 until 2002.
“Since I was a young child, I always knew I was going to be a Marine,” says Johnson, who reached the rank of corporal. “I wrote ‘21 Guns’ because I have been feeling this way for years. I want to put it out there because I think it will help.”