Nashville singer honors area veterans with guitar gift

Two area veterans received a pleasant surprise on Friday, October 24, as part of Nashville singer Carl Wayne (C.W.) Meekins’ visit to the Branson. Lynn Behrends, a member of Branson Veterans of America 913, and Bob Howards, a member of Veterans of the Ozarks, each received the gift of a guitar from the singer, at a joint luncheon fellowship held at the Kimberling City Elks Lodge. 

Meekins, who moved to the Nashville area 20 years ago, is accomplishing his dream of performing country music while also building a successful remodeling business. After a close call with COVID-19 in 2020, he made a promise to himself and to God to pursue music with an added focus on kindness, including regular guitar giveaways as part of his “Play It Forward” campaign. “Someone gifted me a guitar early on in my life when I couldn’t afford one,” he explains. “It changed my life forever, and now I can give back.” 

The singer’s day started early with interviews on KOLR 10 and Fox 49 “Unscripted,” and then live on the Jim Barber radio show with “Mac” McAllister of VOTO and Steve Campbell of BVA 913. He then proceeded to the luncheon with McAllister and Campbell, where he sang the National Anthem and gave an acoustic performance, including time for interaction with the veterans in attendance. 

Along with his music, Meekins shared memories of growing up near a naval base, his brother’s Army service, and his father-in-law, a Vietnam veteran, which helped shape his appreciation and respect. Citing influences like Alan Jackson and Toby Keith on his own songwriting genre, his repertoire on Friday included covers like “Should’a Been a Cowboy” and “Dust on the Bottle” that had many attendees singing along, as well as a nostalgic tribute to “Mammaw’s House” and his recent song, “Pebble,” about the effects of a simple act of kindness. Meekins wrapped up his visit to Branson with an appearance at the “Nashville Roadhouse Live” show Friday evening. 

In announcing the guitar winners from their respective organizations, both McAllister and Campbell shared memories of a local veteran, Larry, who taught simple guitar technique to veterans in an effort to harness the therapeutic value of music to help combat the high rate of veteran suicides. Both of these groups prioritize serving other veterans, helping them find camaraderie and connecting them with resources; learn more at the Veterans of the Ozarks and Branson Veterans of America 913 websites or Facebook pages. Learn more about C.W. Meekins and check out his music at https://carlwaynemeekins.com.