Co-founder Erik Brine formed the nonprofit with his friends Rob Raymond and Chris Kurek, both Air Force veterans and former roommates. “Rob was incredibly popular in the Air Force band that he and Chris Kurek started, called Dos Gringos,” says Brine, who notes that many Operation Encore musicians first performed live while serving in the military. The organization began as a Kickstarter campaign to make a compilation album in 2012. evolved into a program that uses music to bridge the gap between public perceptions of veterans and the realities of their lives during and after their service.
Rather than duplicate existing music therapy programs, the founders focus on helping talented veterans make professional-quality recordings and pursue music more seriously. “There were a lot of great programs, but a lot of people still didn’t understand what the issues were around veterans,” Brine says. “There was a lot of good intention, but a lot of terrible execution. We thought, we enjoy this space, we want to do something around music and veterans – how can we help?”
They quickly recognized genuine musical talent in the military community. “We thought, maybe we could see if there are people who are talented musicians and need support launching a career or taking a different step in their musical journey,” notes Brine. “Maybe they just have one good song in them. Maybe they are great. Let’s find out.”
Many service members are inspired performers across a range of genres, but military life makes it difficult to gig from town to town like typical young bands. Depending on their service, some veterans can’t seriously pursue music until their late 20s or much later. “What can we do to support the person who thought that they missed their chance, thought that they missed their opportunity?” asks Brine. “10, 15, 20 years later, they leave the military, but now they have a family and ‘a real job.’ So we said, what kind of small support can we offer to help give you that opportunity?”
The program is designed to provide long-term support rather than just a short-term boost. “It’s not like when you get into Operation Encore, you’re in the project for six months, and then you get spit out the other side,” says Brine. “Instead, you get invited into this community of artists who will support you early on when you’re invited to be part of that year’s class. And some of those opportunities will continue to come to you throughout the course of the time that you want to continue to be a part of the organization.”
Since its founding, the program has helped launch careers, including its most visible success story, country singer Scotty Hasting, who has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and recorded with Lee Brice and Dolly Parton. Other artists, including former Army combat medic Stephen Covell and Nevada duo Winter Grain, have performed at events including the Newport Folk Festival.
Those artists also support the broader mission. “We see Operation Encore as a great way for people to share their experience through the powerful medium of music, bringing people together by helping them understand that we’re all going through the same things,” says Brine. “Sure, my experience might be different than yours. But when you have a song or a story about those things, it helps people connect and find that common ground.” Learn more at OperationEncore.org.
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