Scotty McCreery Honors Fallen Vietnam Soldier With Memorial Day Performance Of “The Dash”

Scotty McCreery sings "The Dash" at Memorial Day concert in 2017.

Scotty McCreery honored SFC Walton with his performance of "The Dash" during the National Memorial Day Concert in 2017. (Photo Credit: National Memorial Day Concert (PBS) / Facebook)

Scotty McCreery Recorded A Powerful Military Tribute Song Called “The Dash”

Grand Ole Opry member Scotty McCreery recorded a song called “The Dash” early in his career. A sad, real-life story inspired the track, which serves as a powerful tribute to our fallen military heroes.

McCreery’s sophomore album, See You Tonight, contained every type of song imaginable. Some of the tracks included the fun-loving “Feelin’ It” and a touching song titled “The Dash.”

Songwriters Kyle Jacobs and Preston Brust wrote “The Dash,” which was included as the eighth track on See You Tonight.

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Scotty McCreery included his song "The Dash" on his album "See You Tonight"
The cover art for the deluxe edition of Scotty McCreery’s album “See You Tonight.” (Photo Credit: Fair Use)

The song tells the story of a young man in the military who lost his life. One of the verses describes him as a teenager, saying, “He was a steelworker’s son, homecoming king.

He eventually found a girl and fell in love, but put everything on the line for the sake of his country.

The chorus reflects on how it always seems too soon,” when a young service member is killed in action. As a result, the family and loved ones find themselves wishing they’d come back for just one more day.

Scotty Dedicates Memorial Day Performance To A Fallen Hero

Every year, PBS hosts the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington D.C. to honor Memorial Day. Country stars are often asked to perform at the concert, and one year it was McCreery’s turn.

McCreery performed “The Dash” alongside the National Symphony Orchestra.

I’ve always loved performing ‘The Dash’ and was honored that the Memorial Day Concert producers asked me to be part of their show and pay tribute to the brave men and women who gave everything for our country,” McCreery said. “We will always remember them and their sacrifice.

With pure emotion in his voice, McCreery delivered a stunning tribute with his performance of “The Dash.” As he sang, the audience watched photos of SFC Lewis Clark Walton play across the screens next to him.

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The Family Watched Scotty Sing At The Memorial Day Concert

SFC Walton lost his life during the Vietnam War, but his remains couldn’t be located for decades. Finally, after 36 years, SFC Walton’s remains returned home so he could be laid to rest.

SFC Walton’s widow and children watched in the audience while McCreery sang. You could tell that his performance moved them, and many other audience members had tears in their eyes.

It says something about McCreery that he can connect to such an emotional song and, in turn, help others connect to it too. Tune in below to watch his outstanding Memorial Day tribute with “The Dash.”

Grab some tissues before you hit play on this one, because you’ll need them.