Dustin Row

“David, a realtor from Shiloh, ran into a life crisis with both of his vehicles going down within a three-week period,” Songs4Soldiers founder Dustin Row shared during a recent column updating the community on the organization.

“Thanks to donors and our friends at Weber Chevrolet, David was set up with a used vehicle.

“Having a vehicle, he was able to make six listings and save his own house.”

This is but one example of the close to 250 combat veterans served with money raised through Songs4Soldiers. More than $330,000 has gone to helping these veterans find employment, pay their bills, provide them with transportation and guide them toward self-sufficiency.

“It’s always better when we can put them on the path to helping themselves,” Row told the Republic-Times, adding that throwing money at a problem can be more of a band-aid.

Now, Songs4Soldiers will host its fifth annual benefit concert Sept. 22-23, giving the community an opportunity to, once again, serve those who served their country. This is the first year Songs4Soldiers will be hosting a two-day concert and the first such benefit with a national music act.

“The coolest thing about needing a second show is there are so many veterans coming to us, and so we need additional revenue to make it through the year,” Row explained.

The concert includes none other than Bret Michaels, former lead singer of the band Poison, performing Friday, Sept. 22, with special guest Jeremiah Johnson Band. Gates open at 6 p.m. Cost for this all ages show is $30 for general admission with VIP tickets already sold out.

Day two on Saturday, Sept. 23, features the traditional cover band lineup with SuperJam, Joe Dirt, Dazed ‘n Confused STL and more. Sept. 23 is also designated as a family day, featuring bounce houses, bungee races and other activities for kids. 

Row said lawn chairs have now been OK’d for both nights. For more information on the concert or to purchase a ticket, go to songs4soldiersstl.org.

“A lot of (getting a national act to play) comes down to luck, and where they are at in the country,” Row said. 

Row added he has made connections through Entertainment St. Louis, an entertainment production company.

In the days before Songs4Soldiers revealed that Michaels would be performing to the public, Row and his group featured goofy videos on Facebook teasing the announcement. One video shows Row speaking to Columbia Mayor Kevin Hutchinson about the event.

“Dustin, I’m the Mayor,” is the card Hutchinson plays in the video after Row refuses to relent and tell him who is performing. Row appears exasperated by this comment.

“It’s funny, because I really was having people come up to me at the grocery store asking me who the national act is going to be,” Row said. “And I talked to my people and they all said the same thing, so we met with the videographer and filmed it all in one day.”

Last year’s concert brought in $91,000, so a two-day event is sure to greatly surpass that amount, though Row refrained from making any predictions. Row did say he expects the two-day event to draw people from all over, but is assuring locals they don’t need to worry about parking hassles and other nuances.

Parking will include both Columbia High School and Columbia Middle School lots, as well as the fields behind the Hampton Inn. Row added that four buses will serve as shuttle transportation to and from the concert and signs will lead the way to available parking.

“We are trying to think of everything to make this event successful and smooth,” he said.

Of course, the layers of planning are more manageable when the entire city of Columbia, including the police chief, are at Row’s disposal.

“My hat is off to (Columbia Police Chief Jerry Paul). He has been so nice — the city is lucky to have him,” Row said. 

The 300 people set to volunteer will help ensure the actual concert runs smoothly while sponsorships help get the concert off the ground and fund operational expenses. The growing support of the community then allows Songs4Soldiers to not only help more combat veterans, but to serve those in other states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

And the organization’s year-round volunteer staff is no small part of the concert’s continued success, either.

“It’s really cool because everyone brings something from their personal job to use in the organization,” Row said.

His core group includes a 10-person operations committee. Then, there’s his board of directors, consisting of five members, and a four-person veterans committee.

“Even I don’t take a salary,” he said, adding that 100 percent of every donation goes to helping a combat veteran in need.

Additionally, the veterans committee operates as an oversight committee in the sense that Row must get approval for any expense on a combat veteran exceeding $500.

“A lot of times they’ll come back with tough questions that will get me thinking more about a veteran that I’m wanting to help and make me dig deeper,” he said.