Country music icon, Army veteran and all-around patriot Craig Morgan performed three concerts for American troops stationed in Bavaria, Germany, during the week leading up to Christmas.
Morgan, best known for anthems like “What I Love About Sunday” and “International Harvester,” played in 25 F (-4 C) weather and took time before and after the shows to meet with troops, according to the Army. His visit lasted three days, and he got to reunite with soldiers from his old divisions, the 101st and 82nd Airborne.
Morgan served in the Army on active duty for more than a decade, and was a reservist for six and a half years, according to the press release.
“When I get to hang out with Soldiers from the 101st and 82nd it’s like hanging out with family,” Morgan said of the visit. “Those are my brothers and sisters and it’s exciting to see them again. Imagine you haven’t seen your family in a long time, and you get to go home and see them. That’s what that’s like for me. Most of them are younger family. But it’s family nothing the less.”
Morgan has taken part in United Services Organization (USO) tours since 2002 and has visited Germany in the past, the Army noted. This was Morgan’s first time in Bavaria.
I was lucky enough to see Morgan play in a small theatre up in the Great Smoky Mountains in Sept. 2021, and it was one of the most moving performances of my life. Toward the end of the show, Morgan had every veteran, service member, first responder and member of law enforcement stand up in their chairs.
He thanked them for their service and started a round of applause that seems to still echo down to the foothills today. I was at the concert with two firefighters, and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the theatre by the end of the show. (RELATED: Watch As Morgan Wallen Pauses His Show To Help A Fan In Medical Distress)
For this reason, and so many others, Morgan is the best live show I’ve ever seen. He is also one of the greatest patriots I’ve ever had the pleasure of being in a room with.
There were no social media posts about Morgan’s performances in Bavaria, and it didn’t get much press coverage, so here’s a video of him performing “Almost Home,” live at the Grand Ole Opry with Jelly Roll. Just listen to this introduction (I’m not crying, you’re crying).