CAMP LIBERTY -- Do the words rock ‘n’ roll, country music or rhythm and blues cross your mind when you think of a military band? The 1st Cavalry Division Band plays a little bit of everything to ensure Soldiers get a taste of home. The 1st Cavalry Division’s band, Amber Tight, is a group of Soldiers with different talents and musical backgrounds. Their mission is to keep morale high, said Sgt. Eric Still, a guitar player in the band.
“Our band is unique in that there are so many different styles coming together,” said Still, a native of Pattysburg, Miss. “Everyone has different musical backgrounds, and we just try to blend it all together to sound good.”
The band performs at different forward operating bases and dining facilities throughout their area, said Spc. Mitchell Vandenburg, a bass player in the band.
“Because we’re so versatile we are able to affect anyone in the crowd, whether they like rock, country or R&B,” said Sgt. Nicole Headlee, a vocalist in the band, from Waynesburg, Pa.
The ability to affect all types through their instruments and vocals encourages the band to keep playing for the troops knowing they are making a difference.
“Being able to see other people get into our music and get a break from what they do is something I enjoy seeing every time we play,” said Vandenburg, a native of Loveland, Colo. “I feel that our playing helps lighten the mental load that comes with being a Soldier.”
Performing in college was a lot different than what we are doing now, said Sgt. Jeff Munoz, drummer for the band. In college it was all about grades, but in the Cavalry band it’s more about trying to do something for the Soldiers, he added.
“When I played in a band before joining the Army, the music was all about me, or all about what I was trying to convey,” Still said. However, being deployed to perform for the Soldiers of the 1st Cav. Div. makes performing more meaningful, he added.
One of the greatest things Still experienced was Soldiers coming back from an especially difficult mission in Sadr City. The combat-weary Soldiers watched the band rock out, then rolled right back into the fight.
Performing the show was gratifying for the band because it took the Soldier’s minds out of combat, even if it was for a moment. In a war zone, every little reminder of home helps Soldiers cope with everyday stress, he explained.
“I’ve had Soldiers come up to me and tell me how much they liked our music,” said Sgt. Dan Coursen, a vocalist in theband, from Tustin, Calif. ”It wasn’t until I heard and saw people’s reaction to our performance that I thought how importantit was to play.”
When the band jams for Soldiers, it’s like adding salt and pepper to food to make it taste better, said Sgt. Juan Rosaly, a guitarist in the band, from Ponce, Puerto Rico. One song at a time, the band aspires to help Soldiers feel like they’re not so far from home.
(By Pfc. William Hatton, 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
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