By Andrew Ellis, Editor-in-Chief

Fighting for the stars and stripes is ingrained deep in Chris Kroeze. It’s part of his DNA. Both his father and grandfather served. So, while he decided to pursue his dreams of becoming a full-time musician those military roots never left him. He just had to find his own way.

“I’ve always wanted to be able to do something to give back to people who give up a large portion, and sometimes their entire lives,” he says.

​In the time he’s journeyed overseas to play for the troops he’s definitely learned a lot.
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“Shows here honestly are taken for granted,” he says. “And over there they are super excited and interested in the music. They don’t get a ton of it.”

Playing for the troops and visiting with them has certainly instilled in Kroeze a brand new appreciation for those who answer the call to serve. And it even gave him a new spark for his passion.

“After playing 230-ish shows per year for 5 years now, I’ve somewhat lost interest at times,” he says. “This helped me spark my passion.”

Thanks to that spark he can deliver great performances of songs such as the crowd favorite, “Four Letter Words,” which he recorded with Dierks Bentley’s band in Nashville. And he’ll play anywhere they want him to, whether its just him an his acoustic with a crowd under an F-16 in 115 degree weather or in the medic tents. 
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“It’s the chance of a lifetime and I’m going to do it as much as I can,” he says.