I was in my teens when America went to war in Vietnam. At age 22, I was at the height of my successful music career when I received a draft notice. That simple piece of government paper signaled the beginning of a two year journey that asked me to go deep in terms of what it meant to be of service to my country.

 

In 2014, my step daughter, Claytie Mason, a published playwright, interviewed me about this pivotal event in my young life. It was the first time I recounted the whole story and reflected on the meaning of it all to me at that time.

 

These are the reference tapes Claytie made. They are rough, but worth the view if you are interested. Watching them now has reminded me that my Vietnam draft story was the first time in my young life I could not walk away from something that challenged me. I actually had to grow up to meet it. First of many of those moments in my life.