December 4, 2025 • 30 mins
A single song on a dusty flight line can change the ending of someone’s story. That’s where we start with Ryan Carson—third-generation Air Force, Singing Sergeants alum, and former frontman of the service’s show group that became Max Impact—who shares how music carried him from White House holiday rooms to forward operating bases few airmen ever reach.
We revisit the whirlwind of 1999 when diplomas, weddings, and basic training stacked up, and the young voices were thrown straight into medleys, ceremonies, and the quiet diplomacy of “quarters” gigs at generals’ homes. Ryan walks us through his move from the classical polish of the Singing Sergeants to the choreography, original writing, and top‑40 energy of High Flight and Max Impact. He explains why the band wrote songs like Send Me for Special Tactics, Stand for the Honor Guard, and Locked and Loaded during the post‑9/11 tempo—music crafted to honor, to steady nerves, and to put language to service when words fail.
Then we go downrange. Small teams, big stakes, and set lists designed for recognition and relief. After closing with Home, a Green Beret pressed his Special Forces patch into Ryan’s chest and said the music saved his life. That moment anchors a larger theme: music as a time machine and medicine, a bridge between uniforms and hometowns, and a way to humanize the people who carry the weight. We also talk about faith’s quiet thread in military music—how sacred texts live inside patriotic programs—and how worship leading and community roots shape life after retirement.
If you care about military music, morale, and the power a familiar song carries us through tough places, this one’s for you. Listen, share with someone who needs a lift, and if the show resonates, subscribe and leave a review so others can find these stories.
Just Keep Singing
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ryan (00:00):
And then I look back on it now and I'm like, we were
crazy.
Flying into some fob somewhereand getting off and playing,
right?
But man, I'll never forget wegot done doing that and this big
burly green beret came up to meand he took off his uh army
special forces patch and hethrew it at my chest and he just
looking at me and I said, Can Ihelp you?
Like I I didn't even know whatto say.
He said, I just wanted to letyou know you saved my life
tonight.
(00:20):
And I was like, what are youtalking about?
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah- sung by KC Armstrong and King’s Cadence
KC (01:02):
Welcome to Still Singing.
I'm KC Armstrong and throughthe years I've had the privilege
of singing with a number ofdifferent professional ensembles
and groups, and um I'm excitedabout this podcast, sharing with
you guys um friends and fellowsingers that I've worked with
today.
We're gonna be meeting uh RyanCarson.
Ryan Carson and I were um inthe Singing Sergeants together.
(01:24):
I'm gonna let him share abouthis life, his family, and um the
music that we were able toenjoy together with the U.S.
Air Force Singing Sergeants.
See you in a bit.
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah- sung by KC Armstrong and King’s Cadence
(02:17):
Alright, buddy, we're here.
This is it.
So dude, like so I was tryingto figure out how long it's
been.
Yeah.
I know I've seen you sinceKara's 40th birthday.
But maybe we got together anddid some recording, probably.
Maybe it's been a minutethough.
It has been a while.
Ryan (02:37):
It's been too long.
KC (02:38):
So it was great to see you and Angie as I walked in today.
This is man, what a beautiful,beautiful yard you got here.
Thanks for letting me set up ashop here with you.
Ryan (02:46):
Yeah.
KC (02:47):
But let's start right now with remind me when you retired.
Ryan (02:51):
Uh December of 21, but it's really like 22, because
it's 31 December, so it's likewe're this weird, like, you
know, 21, 22.
Yeah.
KC (02:59):
I got you.
Yeah, I got you.
Yeah.
And uh tell me what's going onnow, man.
Ryan (03:04):
So we're still in the same house.
As you know, the blessing ofour jobs in the military was we
didn't have to move right likethe typical military folks.
So, man, we bought this placewhen Angie was pregnant with our
first, and we've been here eversince.
And uh, yeah, retirement, itwas just time for us to go, you
know, leading during COVID andall that stuff, especially being
in performing ensemble.
You know, it was just time forto go, and we really felt God
(03:24):
pushing us out, closing doors.
So great move for us.
Hard to see in the moment,right?
You're like, what are you gonnado?
But now it's just superblessed.
Now I'm dipping my toe in realestate.
So I I'm working for uh a titlecompany doing uh title
insurance.
Probably gonna get my realestate license here shortly and
uh start doing some buying andselling myself.
Yeah, and uh yeah, it's justbeen really great.
(03:44):
It's kind of like uh I work foran amazing company, it's a
all-woman-owned company and oneof the largest title companies
in Maryland, and it's just beengreat.
KC (03:52):
The big question is how far is your commute?
Ryan (03:54):
Literally 17 minutes from my driveway.
Oh man, yeah, big difference,right?
I mean, you're the king ofcommutes, so I get it.
KC (04:02):
Yeah, let's not get started with that.
Uh I'll have to do my ownpodcast at some point for that.
But all right, cool, man.
Facebook allows us to keep up.
It's like we're there, butwe're not.
So it's been really greatwatching you and your kids, man,
just do life.
And so, you know, we share alot in common as far as growing
up.
You know, I know you grew up ina military family, so tell me
(04:23):
about that, man.
Ryan (04:24):
Yeah, so actually I'm third generation in the Air
Force.
So wow.
Yeah, so my grandpa was ArmyAir Corps, and then it became
the Air Force, right?
While he was still in.
Yeah.
So uh that was my mom's father,and then my dad uh joined the
Air Force, and so when I camein, yeah, I was third generation
at that point.
That's awesome.
But yeah, raised in a militaryfamily.
(04:44):
Um, really all I ever knew, youknow, especially with my
grandparents being military, andyou know, my dad met my mom in
Japan playing drums at the Oclub.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
So I mean it's just kind ofbeen in our mom plays drums?
No.
Anyway, sorry.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, and I recently just foundout this is what's cool about
this story, is that he madeChief.
They were gonna PCS us, uh-huh,and I was so plugged in to the
(05:07):
music program there in our highschool that he actually turned
down the stripe, and I didn'treally know.
Oh my goodness.
Yeah, so he never put on chief,then he retired because he
didn't want to move me outbecause I was doing so much in
the community with performingand stuff, and he was like, No,
we need to stay here.
And he loved it there too.
You know, he loved the RapidCity area and the Black Hills,
and so I never knew that part ofthe story.
And then for me now to makeChief, it just kind of went on
(05:30):
retired and yeah, and he's hegot to see that, man.
KC (05:32):
So that's a big deal.
And yeah, he was great, man.
Um, your dad, I mean, I thoughtyou were spunky, you know, it's
like spunk was his middle name,man.
Yeah, he was a good dude.
Ryan (05:42):
That dude, um yeah, aircraft maintainer by trade.
KC (05:45):
My favorite quote that stuck was he called me a knuckle
dragger or something.
Like Yeah, he always called youknuckle dragger.
Knuckle drager.
I was like, I mean, I listen, Ido believe in Sasquatch and I
love Sasquatch, but I mean Idon't know if I'm a knuckle
dragger, but anyway.
Well, man, yeah, I know yourdad was proud of your career.
I know your mom is proud.
I was glad to get to meet thoseguys.
(06:08):
So tell me about like how youfound out about the gig.
Ryan (06:11):
So it's funny.
I was at the University ofWyoming and I was taking uh
voice lessons from my choralinstructor there was Professor
Carlisle Weiss.
He recently passed away, butjust an amazing dude.
And he approached me one dayand he was like, you know, hey,
you should really think aboutthe army chorus, right?
And I was like, the armychorus, and he was in the army
chorus, I guess, oh back in theday.
KC (06:31):
Yeah, his name sounds familiar.
Ryan (06:32):
And then so he started talking to me about this stuff,
but I was, you know, grew up AirForce, so I was like, Well, do
they have anything like that inthe Air Force?
And he's like, Well, I thinkthey do.
And then I'm not kidding you,like two days later, there was
like a flyer posted in the finearts building that said, like,
they're hiring a tenor vocalistor something, right?
For the Air Force.
And I was like, Okay, well, I'mgonna do this.
So I went to my professor and Isaid, You know, you think we
could do this?
And he said, Oh, let's do it,you know, and literally walked
(06:55):
to the media center there,right?
And put together a physicalcassette tape of some songs and
shipped it off to DC and uh restis history from there.
KC (07:03):
Let's talk about 1999, right?
Because that was a big year forboth of us.
Like we both finished school,we both got married, yeah.
We both joined the Air ForceSinging Sergeants.
Ryan (07:14):
Yeah.
KC (07:14):
We now both have three kids.
Like, I mean, I remember thatfirst year.
I was about four months behindyou, yeah, coming in.
And I just remember we hit itoff from the right the game, you
and Angie, me and Kara.
Ryan (07:25):
Yeah.
KC (07:25):
Um tell me about that year for you.
Ryan (07:27):
Yeah, well, I mean, what a whirlwind year, right?
Like I graduated what in May,and my report date at Basic was
two June, right?
So literally, like had a coupleweeks at home to get our stuff
together, ship off to BASIC, andthen do basic training.
And then, you know, Angie and Iliterally packed up our cars
with walkie-talkies because wedidn't have cell phones, you
know, anything like that.
And just drove out here.
(07:49):
We had no idea what we weredoing.
You know, I figured we'd liveon base somewhere.
I was just like, ah, they justlive on base, you know.
And driving out to the DC areahad no clue.
No clue.
I love it.
And uh, yeah, just pulling theband-aid off and getting here,
and then and then as you know,like we were part of the young
crew then, right?
Because you know, we wereyoungsters.
KC (08:06):
Yeah, it was kind of a turnover.
Ryan (08:07):
Yeah, it was a big turnover, and uh, you know, you
they plugged us in right away.
Like I was memorizing medley'slike the first three days I was
there, right?
So, yeah, just that wholewhirlwind of that first couple
of months, and then you arrivedlike shortly after, and you're
right.
Like, I was like, This is mydude, man.
KC (08:22):
Like you know, and then we became roommates on the road and
um I was thinking this morningabout that first year's when did
you sign into bowling?
In July?
Uh it was in July.
July, yeah.
So I signed in in October, andI remember the first gig was at
the homestead, Virginia MusicEducators.
Yeah.
It was the band and chorus.
Yeah.
That was my first gig.
And then, you know, somequarters gigs and stuff like
(08:43):
that, I think, involved in Yeah,tell them what quarters gig is
where we're you know where we'regonna be.
Ryan (08:47):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
KC (08:48):
So the quarters gigs is when we go to the generals' homes.
Um like this, sing on theirpatio.
Yeah, yeah.
A patio.
We hold in the basement, comethrough the kitchen door, we
sing for them in their parties.
Chairman of Joint Chiefs ofStaff typically lived on Fort
Meyer.
The Air Force Chief of Staffthat that time lived on Fort
Meyer.
Yep.
The Army Chief of Staff there.
Yep.
And so we were on Fort Meyer,and then we would do other
(09:10):
generals, some on bowling, someelsewhere.
But that would be just like anevening gig that you wouldn't
see on the news or in the paper.
It was just us going in andentertaining the general and his
guests.
Yeah.
Ryan (09:21):
But ironically, I sometimes the next morning, like
we'd watch the news orsomething, and then you'd see
like the people we wereentertaining the night before
that were here.
You're like, oh, that's why Iwas here.
Right.
You know what I mean?
KC (09:30):
I thought they were just meeting to play golf or
something.
Ryan (09:32):
Yeah, I know.
I know.
I mean, everything from like,you know, foreign dignitaries to
the president of Chabaniyogurt, right?
I mean, it was like you nameit.
They they showed up at thosethings.
So and Christmas parties and welived at the White House in
December, you know what I mean?
KC (09:45):
Well, first of all, we roomed together two or twice a
year, typically three-weektours.
We were roommates.
No, we had so many stores, bro.
Yeah, no, there's all kinds ofstuff.
Um we're keeping this PG ratedthinking about it.
Or oh, remember that colonelthat was saying he said, guys,
ought to bring a tear to a glasseye.
(10:05):
Anyway, um so you switched tothe rock band.
Was it already max impact?
Ryan (10:12):
No, it was high flight.
KC (10:13):
High flight.
Ryan (10:13):
Yeah, it was still high flight, yeah.
KC (10:14):
When you did that before I switched to the army.
Yeah, yeah.
So tell me about that.
When you switched to the room.
Ryan (10:19):
So what was that?
Like I was in the singers maybethree years, maybe?
So 03?
Something around there.
Yeah, it wasn't.
I switched in 04.
I feel like it was Yeah, it'slike the probably the year
before you switched.
So yeah, I got approached bythe then guitar player and
leader of High Flight back then,which was the premier show
group of the United States AirForce, right?
Right.
Um, and he was like, hey, youknow, the lead singer, he's
(10:40):
gonna be like retiring, youshould do this.
And it wasn't even on my radar,you know.
I figured that was the the gigwe all wanted to get the
singers, and then I startedthinking about it, and I was
like, Well, if I'm gonna do thisgig, I want to audition like
everybody else.
So I went through the auditionprocess and actually ended up
winning the gig and totallydifferent than the singers,
right?
Where we're standing on onstage with a folder, and now I'm
doing dances and choreographyand you know, all this stuff.
(11:02):
And so, but honestly, man, oneof the best decisions and one of
the best things that happenedto me was going over to that
group, you know, right duringthat time.
You know, I was young and wewere able to be some of the
first people to ever deploy anddo missions, you know, downrange
because of that.
But totally different bagwithin the same building, but a
totally different experience.
KC (11:20):
No, I know it was it was over the top.
I loved watching them, like yousaid, it high flight was kind
of the the quartet of vocalswith band.
Yeah.
Ryan (11:27):
Five vocals, you can see some people transitioned out.
KC (11:31):
So they had they had vocals in band, and it was definitely
like a top 40, like you said,show group kind of a thing.
But yeah, man, when you wentover and you guys switched over,
changed the name to Max Impact,and and started rocking hard.
Yeah.
And it was so fun to watch froma distance, or across the hall
rather.
Ryan (11:49):
Something just popped up in my brain, though, a memory of
you and I pre-High Flight whenwe were still both in the
singers.
Yeah, yeah.
Because I found the video of itand it was us performing the
Backstreet Boys at AFA.
You remember that?
Yes.
KC (12:02):
I want it that way.
Ryan (12:03):
Yeah, yeah, I want it that way.
And remember uh Ken had hisguitar on when he comes out and
the thing fell off.
And then I watched that videojust I think I was home this
last summer and I found thatvideo and I watched it.
KC (12:16):
Yeah, you gotta share that with them, man.
Ryan (12:18):
You and I always had like, like, you know, I was
never like the choral guy thatlike a lot of our colleagues
like knew every opera, knewevery, you know, you and I were
always in the same boat, like,we just want to sing.
I know, like, whatever.
We're just built to sing.
And I think we would singwhatever they put in front of
us, yeah.
If it was a pop song or if itwas, you know what I mean.
KC (12:34):
So I think another thing that we shared always, and we
still do, is we like what thepeople like.
Yeah.
We like the familiar, thestandards, you know, like that
song that's like takes you backto high school, you know, all
that stuff.
Well, first of all, I'm not asongwriter, so I don't have that
in me, so I just gravitatetowards good songs.
Yes.
But speaking of songwriting, soyou you tag team on a handful
(12:56):
of original songs with maximpact dedicated to Yeah.
Ryan (13:00):
So I think the very first project we did was Locked and
Loaded, and that was just kindof an overarching, you know,
like here's the Air Force, we'relocked and loaded.
This is the thick of 9-11.
Yeah, right after 9-11.
Then we did Stand about theHonor Guard, we did Send Me,
which is our big one that wewrote for Special Tactics in the
Air Force.
So it was huge.
Uh I think the last one we didwas Find You about BMT and about
(13:24):
being uh instructors and stuff.
But I think we won, I can'tremember now in my old age, but
I think four first place awardsfor like Air Force original
music, like top at the top.
So I guess our Grammys.
I don't know, whatever thatmeans.
KC (13:37):
You know, no, it was I remember they'd come out, you
know, you guys would grab videoson deployment.
I remember those, all thosebeing shared.
They're on YouTube.
You should check those out.
I'm sure if you just YouTubelike Max Impact or something,
yeah.
There's some great stuff.
The the other thing that I thatI love about starting this
podcast with you, man, is when Ido a solo date, of course I
referenced the military career.
(13:58):
I mean, that was the majorityof my musical life.
And so I always tell people,I'm like, listen, there's three
things, right?
Number one is to honor thefallen.
If it weren't for ArlingtonCemetery, none of us would have
a job.
I mean, that's the mainpurpose.
And number two is the espritdecor, right?
To encourage and inspire,uplift those that are still
active.
And then number three is tobridge the gap, I think, between
(14:21):
the American public who we'veentertained and performed for,
bridge the gap between them andthe frontline soldier.
Ryan (14:27):
Yeah, humanize the uniform.
Right.
KC (14:29):
So it's like we don't have to have the answers.
We can think we have theanswers, but it's not about what
we think, it's about the music.
Right.
Because music heals, itsoothes, it um Yeah, I used to
say our job was to help othersforget about their job.
Okay.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah.
So you're gonna be one of thefew people that I interview that
have deployed and done thatnumber two thing.
Ryan (14:51):
Yeah.
KC (14:51):
Because in DC, yes, there's active duty in our audiences,
right?
Right, right.
Like, but it's rare that we areperforming for an all-uniformed
audience.
Yeah.
Because we do so much PR.
I know you got a ton ofdeployment stories, but tell me
about some of the kind of thehighlights of that.
I mean, like things that juststick out in your mind, like oh
man, yeah, so much.
Ryan (15:12):
Um, first of all, like being part of the crew that
first was able to go do thatkind of thing, you know.
We didn't know what the heck wewere doing.
And I look back on it now andI'm like, we were crazy.
Like, you know, we had no opsplaying.
We were getting on the back ofa helicopter and flying into
some fob somewhere and gettingoff and playing, right?
Right.
And it was nuts.
But man, we always talk abouthow music changes hearts and
minds.
And you know, we do the companyline, it was our job to sell
(15:34):
that stuff on stage.
But man, to see it actuallymaterialize out there, like one
of my favorite stories I alwaysshare, and I I probably beat it
to death, but it's such a coolstory was you know, we're on
this fob and we've beenperforming for these guys.
And when I talk aboutdownrange, because we were such
a small unit, we were able to goreally far forward to where the
typical Air Force person wouldnever get to.
Or the typical USO tour.
(15:54):
Yeah, USO wouldn't even touchit.
Like so they're so you know,we're on this Ford operating
base with a lot of specialoperators, a lot of them
sanitized, right?
Meaning nothing on theiruniforms, beards, because they,
you know, they they want to beindigenous.
So anyway, long story short, weget done doing this show, and
and I would always end everyshow with home by Chris Dotry.
And that's like encouragepeople like, hey, listen, this
is just a moment.
(16:15):
You're going home, your familyneeds you.
You know, we need you.
Right.
And, you know, of course,thinking about my family too,
because I'm away from them aswell.
Right.
But man, I'll never forget wegot done doing that, and this
big burly, you know, green beretcame up to me and he took off
his uh army special forces patchand he threw it at my chest,
and he just looking at me and Isaid, Can I help you?
Like, I I didn't even know whatto say.
He said, I just want to let youknow you saved my life tonight.
(16:36):
And I was like, What are youtalking about?
I just took a step back and hesaid that he had been out there
for a while and they had justextended him and he was gonna
kill himself.
Oh my goodness gracious.
But then when we sang home, itmade him think of his wife and
his kids, and he's like, I canpush through and do this.
The dude turned around andleft, and then I still have that
patch on my desk that he gaveme in that moment.
KC (16:55):
Man, I can imagine he's one of those dudes like that was
really difficult for him totell.
Like the music, right, brokethrough this crust, man.
Ryan (17:03):
Multi-million dollar warfighter that was about to
take his life.
But like I said, you know, ourjob is to help them forget about
their job.
Right.
And music's a time machine,bro.
You said it.
Like, you know, when you hearyour wedding song for you and
Kara, where are you?
Right.
Right back at your wedding,right?
And so in those moments, we'reable to transport these guys
back to their home and let themforget about that kind of stuff.
(17:24):
So it's it's really cool to seethat happen.
I mean, and yeah, there'scountless stories, man.
There's funny ones about, youknow, dealing with host nations
and Romanian-led bases.
You name it, I've seen it.
From the worst of the worst towhere we're peeing in tubes on
the side of a mountain to, youknow, we got the greatest pool
in the desert at Aldafra, right?
KC (17:40):
So, but it's crazy.
So, how many times did you guysor were you involved in a
deployment with So I sixdeployments, yeah.
Oh man.
Ryan (17:47):
And you know, it ranges too.
We had those communityrelations things too that we do
over there.
I mean, I remember going toKyrgyzstan and playing for the
school for the deaf.
And everybody's like, Well,what are you doing with the
school for the deaf?
Put all our speakers on thefloor face down, and they were
feeling everything.
You know, it was really cool.
You know, they couldn't hearus, but they could feel us and
they could see us, right?
KC (18:03):
So power of music, man.
Shoot yeah.
Put the bass player to work,didn't you?
That's right.
Ryan, so I love what you justshared about that special forces
guy that just came up and likebasically, in his own way,
opened up to you and told youthat you, through the music,
saved his life.
I mean, literally.
Yeah.
So what I love sharing withpeople, because I've never
(18:25):
deployed, but what I lovesharing with people is when I
was at about the 10-year mark inthe service, a friend of
Kara's, she went went to schoolwith this guy named Tim Farry.
And Tim at the time was amajor, he was a chaplain in the
army.
Uh, he had been on numerousdeployments as a chaplain uh
downrange before and after thismoment.
We were talking and I wastelling a little bit about some
(18:45):
things that I was frustratedwith, you know, just life, DC,
the military.
Right.
You know, I was whining.
Ryan (18:52):
Yeah.
KC (18:52):
Right.
Because I was feeling thatgospel call that I'm that I'm
able to do now, like fullthrottle.
I was feeling that tug.
I was like, man, do I want tostay 10 more years?
I really want to get in theministry, yada yada yada.
Well, he told me he was like,Casey, you guys, through music,
get to share more Jesus than Ido from the pulpit in uniform.
And he reminded me, like, youguys are closing out every
(19:14):
concert with Battle Hymn of theRepublic.
That third verse says, In thebeauty of the lilies, Christ was
born across the sea with aglory in his bosom that
transfigures you and me.
He says, even if they don'tknow Christ, people are
clapping, but Jesus is sneakingin through you guys into these
people's lives.
You're getting away with itbecause it's patriotic, it's
(19:34):
it's spiritual, it's a genre,right?
But the truth is it is what itis.
Yeah.
Think about choral music.
Choral music came from thechurch.
The majority of the choral repthat we performed was sacred
base tech.
Now, some of it might have beenin Latin, some of it might have
been high church, but so muchgospel.
Think about the Christmasconcerts.
Yep.
Holiday concerts.
Yeah.
(19:55):
It was there, man.
And so whenever I gotfrustrated, I'd be like, all
right, the truth is we're stillsharing Jesus on almost every
concert.
Yeah.
So I don't know, man.
Does that bring up anything?
Yeah.
Ryan (20:06):
Like, you know?
I guess that was thefrustrating thing about our job
too.
You know, you couldn't talkabout that kind of stuff.
You know what I mean?
But I will say this like, Iknew that about you from the
very first moment I met you.
You know what I mean?
Like the joy of the Lord wasalways in you, you know, and you
had always talked about yourpassion for gospel.
And you know, I mean, and whowouldn't?
I mean, with your voice, Imean, bro, you're built for it,
bro.
(20:26):
You know what I mean?
You always were.
And I so I always knew thatcalling on your life.
And to see you now be on theother side and happy and doing
your I'm so happy for you, man.
KC (20:35):
Oh man, I appreciate it.
Ryan (20:36):
You know, and it comes down to hope, right?
Because music gives us hope.
But as a believer, we know ourhope is only in Jesus.
And it's taken me a lot of painand heartache to get to the
point where I recognize that youknow, without Jesus, we have
nothing.
Oh, yeah.
You know, and there was timesin my younger days of my career
I wish I would have been alittle bit more focused on Jesus
and not so much on me.
(20:56):
Yeah, you know, but I thinkthat's where the true hope comes
from.
You know, it doesn't come fromthe lyric, it comes from the
spirit, right?
People can feel that, you know,and I've been able to go on and
I always had a passion forworship music, you know, and
I've been leading worship nowfor 20 some years.
And Angie and I just found anew church home down here by us.
And after I retired, you know,Angie and I make the joke that
we finally feel like we livehere.
(21:16):
Because you know, we werealways up on bass, or you know,
we don't we didn't know ourcommunity here, you know.
So now we're really pluggedinto our local church, and I've
been leading worship there, youknow, playing guitar and singing
and doing the things andgetting to lead worship, and
that's where my heart is too.
Like it's never been standingwith a folder in my hands and
singing an opera or somethinglike that.
Even though we were built to dothat, you know what I'm saying?
KC (21:37):
There's a time and place, yeah.
People are like, Man, youshould do opera.
I'm like, I did just enoughopera to know that I don't want
to do it for a living.
Ryan (21:43):
That's right.
That's right.
KC (21:44):
That's how much I did.
That's right.
No, but honestly, tons ofbeautiful, recognized music that
people hear and appreciate.
Ryan (21:51):
And you know, going into the pop world too, right?
That was hard.
Because you don't I don'tconnect, and 90% of the stuff
that was on the radio wecouldn't do anyway, right?
Because of the message, right.
Or because of the words, youknow, so that was always a
battle, too.
Yeah.
KC (22:04):
Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of safe, generic text out there,
songs out there, yeah.
That are just harmless, funsongs, right?
But yeah, you really have to becareful with what you're
listening to.
But anyway, we're getting alittle bit off track.
One of the other things I tellpeople as far as singing sacred
music in uniform and ministeringthrough song, letting a song
soothe, heal, you know, be thatthat bomb that helps people
(22:28):
through whatever, whether it's adeployment or losing someone or
whatever.
You you never know.
I loved um looking out andseeing people being moved by
what we were kind of thinking ismaybe even being on cruise
control at times.
Um, I tell people I'm like, thethe military, the army, the air
force is not my church, youknow, and the generals were not
my pastor.
(22:48):
However, music God uses that,man.
And yeah, it could be a journeysong, it could be a gospel
song, it could be a whatever.
It means something.
Man, I'm just so grateful, youknow, to first of all, just to
reconnect and see you again.
And then I'm just excited aboutsharing your story and sharing
other people's stories aboutwhat we did in uniform through
music.
And then, of course, I'm gonnabe sharing other friends, you
(23:11):
know, that are in the gospelindustry their whole lives.
That's a world that's just sofun to like to be in now that
I've been watching from adistance and to sing with Poet
Voices and to sing with PhilCross and Donnie and Jeff.
You would love them, they wouldlove you.
Ryan (23:25):
But that's still my goal to jam with you guys so much.
I know, man.
KC (23:28):
I'm not giving up on you.
I call this guy, and you know,every so often I'm like, hey
man, I need a tenor, man.
I need a lead, I needsomething.
And he's just like, let me talkto Ange.
No, listen, he's a busy man,he's got a real job.
Ryan (23:43):
But hey, before we go though, I think you owe your
listeners because you know, youand I live together, basically.
Yeah, you know, road bros.
What's your favorite memory ofthe two of us together?
Like, what's something that yourecall that we did?
Something stupid or somethingfunny, or all right.
KC (23:58):
So, what about this one?
Okay.
This wasn't in the uniform, butthis was us four.
We went camping.
Okay.
I think we were here inSouthern Maryland, we were
probably down.
I th I want to say.
Of course, it's raining.
That's what happens when youdecide to pitch a tent and go
camping.
But we go down there and we'relike, like anything else, we
didn't really prepare.
But I remember the four of usbefore kids.
(24:20):
I think Max.
Yeah.
Was that your first schnauzer?
Ryan (24:24):
Yeah.
KC (24:24):
Max was with you.
But all I know is the four ofus slept on a queen size air
mattress turned sideways.
So we at least had our upper.
Um, the girls were in themiddle.
Yeah.
Ryan (24:37):
Oh my god, it was pouring down rain.
We had uh plastic bags wrappedaround the dog and I'm sure.
The girls planned the trip,didn't they?
Didn't they surprise us?
KC (24:48):
Uh yeah, I think so.
Ryan (24:48):
I think they surprised us because I I think I have a
picture of us in like the backseat with blindfolds on.
Oh, yes.
Yeah, and I think theysurprised us.
KC (24:57):
Oh man, I didn't remember that part.
I just remember, you know,basically like shoulder to
shoulder.
Anyway, it was tight.
Oh man.
Yeah, so we had some goodtimes, and then there's there's
other camping stories too.
But anyway.
Hey, listen, uh, before weclose out, I got a gift for you.
Ryan (25:13):
Oh man.
KC (25:14):
So I hope it fits you.
We do.
But it's a shirt that says,just keep singing.
If you dig the color, that'scool.
I do have some other colors ifyou want to exchange it.
Thank you.
That's fine.
Ryan (25:24):
I love it.
KC (25:25):
But man, I really appreciate you.
I mean, you hosted me.
I'm I'm the host of the podcastbeing hosted by the guest.
Ryan (25:31):
Hey everybody, I'm Ryan, and uh, I'm still singing.
(28:20):
Locked And Loaded- sung by Ryan Carson and Max Impact
And then I look back on it now and I'm like, we were
crazy.
Flying into some fob somewhereand getting off and playing,
right?
But man, I'll never forget wegot done doing that and this big
burly green beret came up to meand he took off his uh army
special forces patch and hethrew it at my chest and he just
looking at me and I said, Can Ihelp you?
Like I I didn't even know whatto say.
He said, I just wanted to letyou know you saved my life
tonight.
(00:20):
And I was like, what are youtalking about?
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah- sung by KC Armstrong and King’s Cadence
KC (01:02):
Welcome to Still Singing.
I'm KC Armstrong and throughthe years I've had the privilege
of singing with a number ofdifferent professional ensembles
and groups, and um I'm excitedabout this podcast, sharing with
you guys um friends and fellowsingers that I've worked with
today.
We're gonna be meeting uh RyanCarson.
Ryan Carson and I were um inthe Singing Sergeants together.
(01:24):
I'm gonna let him share abouthis life, his family, and um the
music that we were able toenjoy together with the U.S.
Air Force Singing Sergeants.
See you in a bit.
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah- sung by KC Armstrong and King’s Cadence
(02:17):
Alright, buddy, we're here.
This is it.
So dude, like so I was tryingto figure out how long it's
been.
Yeah.
I know I've seen you sinceKara's 40th birthday.
But maybe we got together anddid some recording, probably.
Maybe it's been a minutethough.
It has been a while.
Ryan (02:37):
It's been too long.
KC (02:38):
So it was great to see you and Angie as I walked in today.
This is man, what a beautiful,beautiful yard you got here.
Thanks for letting me set up ashop here with you.
Ryan (02:46):
Yeah.
KC (02:47):
But let's start right now with remind me when you retired.
Ryan (02:51):
Uh December of 21, but it's really like 22, because
it's 31 December, so it's likewe're this weird, like, you
know, 21, 22.
Yeah.
KC (02:59):
I got you.
Yeah, I got you.
Yeah.
And uh tell me what's going onnow, man.
Ryan (03:04):
So we're still in the same house.
As you know, the blessing ofour jobs in the military was we
didn't have to move right likethe typical military folks.
So, man, we bought this placewhen Angie was pregnant with our
first, and we've been here eversince.
And uh, yeah, retirement, itwas just time for us to go, you
know, leading during COVID andall that stuff, especially being
in performing ensemble.
You know, it was just time forto go, and we really felt God
(03:24):
pushing us out, closing doors.
So great move for us.
Hard to see in the moment,right?
You're like, what are you gonnado?
But now it's just superblessed.
Now I'm dipping my toe in realestate.
So I I'm working for uh a titlecompany doing uh title
insurance.
Probably gonna get my realestate license here shortly and
uh start doing some buying andselling myself.
Yeah, and uh yeah, it's justbeen really great.
(03:44):
It's kind of like uh I work foran amazing company, it's a
all-woman-owned company and oneof the largest title companies
in Maryland, and it's just beengreat.
KC (03:52):
The big question is how far is your commute?
Ryan (03:54):
Literally 17 minutes from my driveway.
Oh man, yeah, big difference,right?
I mean, you're the king ofcommutes, so I get it.
KC (04:02):
Yeah, let's not get started with that.
Uh I'll have to do my ownpodcast at some point for that.
But all right, cool, man.
Facebook allows us to keep up.
It's like we're there, butwe're not.
So it's been really greatwatching you and your kids, man,
just do life.
And so, you know, we share alot in common as far as growing
up.
You know, I know you grew up ina military family, so tell me
(04:23):
about that, man.
Ryan (04:24):
Yeah, so actually I'm third generation in the Air
Force.
So wow.
Yeah, so my grandpa was ArmyAir Corps, and then it became
the Air Force, right?
While he was still in.
Yeah.
So uh that was my mom's father,and then my dad uh joined the
Air Force, and so when I camein, yeah, I was third generation
at that point.
That's awesome.
But yeah, raised in a militaryfamily.
(04:44):
Um, really all I ever knew, youknow, especially with my
grandparents being military, andyou know, my dad met my mom in
Japan playing drums at the Oclub.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
So I mean it's just kind ofbeen in our mom plays drums?
No.
Anyway, sorry.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, and I recently just foundout this is what's cool about
this story, is that he madeChief.
They were gonna PCS us, uh-huh,and I was so plugged in to the
(05:07):
music program there in our highschool that he actually turned
down the stripe, and I didn'treally know.
Oh my goodness.
Yeah, so he never put on chief,then he retired because he
didn't want to move me outbecause I was doing so much in
the community with performingand stuff, and he was like, No,
we need to stay here.
And he loved it there too.
You know, he loved the RapidCity area and the Black Hills,
and so I never knew that part ofthe story.
And then for me now to makeChief, it just kind of went on
(05:30):
retired and yeah, and he's hegot to see that, man.
KC (05:32):
So that's a big deal.
And yeah, he was great, man.
Um, your dad, I mean, I thoughtyou were spunky, you know, it's
like spunk was his middle name,man.
Yeah, he was a good dude.
Ryan (05:42):
That dude, um yeah, aircraft maintainer by trade.
KC (05:45):
My favorite quote that stuck was he called me a knuckle
dragger or something.
Like Yeah, he always called youknuckle dragger.
Knuckle drager.
I was like, I mean, I listen, Ido believe in Sasquatch and I
love Sasquatch, but I mean Idon't know if I'm a knuckle
dragger, but anyway.
Well, man, yeah, I know yourdad was proud of your career.
I know your mom is proud.
I was glad to get to meet thoseguys.
(06:08):
So tell me about like how youfound out about the gig.
Ryan (06:11):
So it's funny.
I was at the University ofWyoming and I was taking uh
voice lessons from my choralinstructor there was Professor
Carlisle Weiss.
He recently passed away, butjust an amazing dude.
And he approached me one dayand he was like, you know, hey,
you should really think aboutthe army chorus, right?
And I was like, the armychorus, and he was in the army
chorus, I guess, oh back in theday.
KC (06:31):
Yeah, his name sounds familiar.
Ryan (06:32):
And then so he started talking to me about this stuff,
but I was, you know, grew up AirForce, so I was like, Well, do
they have anything like that inthe Air Force?
And he's like, Well, I thinkthey do.
And then I'm not kidding you,like two days later, there was
like a flyer posted in the finearts building that said, like,
they're hiring a tenor vocalistor something, right?
For the Air Force.
And I was like, Okay, well, I'mgonna do this.
So I went to my professor and Isaid, You know, you think we
could do this?
And he said, Oh, let's do it,you know, and literally walked
(06:55):
to the media center there,right?
And put together a physicalcassette tape of some songs and
shipped it off to DC and uh restis history from there.
KC (07:03):
Let's talk about 1999, right?
Because that was a big year forboth of us.
Like we both finished school,we both got married, yeah.
We both joined the Air ForceSinging Sergeants.
Ryan (07:14):
Yeah.
KC (07:14):
We now both have three kids.
Like, I mean, I remember thatfirst year.
I was about four months behindyou, yeah, coming in.
And I just remember we hit itoff from the right the game, you
and Angie, me and Kara.
Ryan (07:25):
Yeah.
KC (07:25):
Um tell me about that year for you.
Ryan (07:27):
Yeah, well, I mean, what a whirlwind year, right?
Like I graduated what in May,and my report date at Basic was
two June, right?
So literally, like had a coupleweeks at home to get our stuff
together, ship off to BASIC, andthen do basic training.
And then, you know, Angie and Iliterally packed up our cars
with walkie-talkies because wedidn't have cell phones, you
know, anything like that.
And just drove out here.
(07:49):
We had no idea what we weredoing.
You know, I figured we'd liveon base somewhere.
I was just like, ah, they justlive on base, you know.
And driving out to the DC areahad no clue.
No clue.
I love it.
And uh, yeah, just pulling theband-aid off and getting here,
and then and then as you know,like we were part of the young
crew then, right?
Because you know, we wereyoungsters.
KC (08:06):
Yeah, it was kind of a turnover.
Ryan (08:07):
Yeah, it was a big turnover, and uh, you know, you
they plugged us in right away.
Like I was memorizing medley'slike the first three days I was
there, right?
So, yeah, just that wholewhirlwind of that first couple
of months, and then you arrivedlike shortly after, and you're
right.
Like, I was like, This is mydude, man.
KC (08:22):
Like you know, and then we became roommates on the road and
um I was thinking this morningabout that first year's when did
you sign into bowling?
In July?
Uh it was in July.
July, yeah.
So I signed in in October, andI remember the first gig was at
the homestead, Virginia MusicEducators.
Yeah.
It was the band and chorus.
Yeah.
That was my first gig.
And then, you know, somequarters gigs and stuff like
(08:43):
that, I think, involved in Yeah,tell them what quarters gig is
where we're you know where we'regonna be.
Ryan (08:47):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
KC (08:48):
So the quarters gigs is when we go to the generals' homes.
Um like this, sing on theirpatio.
Yeah, yeah.
A patio.
We hold in the basement, comethrough the kitchen door, we
sing for them in their parties.
Chairman of Joint Chiefs ofStaff typically lived on Fort
Meyer.
The Air Force Chief of Staffthat that time lived on Fort
Meyer.
Yep.
The Army Chief of Staff there.
Yep.
And so we were on Fort Meyer,and then we would do other
(09:10):
generals, some on bowling, someelsewhere.
But that would be just like anevening gig that you wouldn't
see on the news or in the paper.
It was just us going in andentertaining the general and his
guests.
Yeah.
Ryan (09:21):
But ironically, I sometimes the next morning, like
we'd watch the news orsomething, and then you'd see
like the people we wereentertaining the night before
that were here.
You're like, oh, that's why Iwas here.
Right.
You know what I mean?
KC (09:30):
I thought they were just meeting to play golf or
something.
Ryan (09:32):
Yeah, I know.
I know.
I mean, everything from like,you know, foreign dignitaries to
the president of Chabaniyogurt, right?
I mean, it was like you nameit.
They they showed up at thosethings.
So and Christmas parties and welived at the White House in
December, you know what I mean?
KC (09:45):
Well, first of all, we roomed together two or twice a
year, typically three-weektours.
We were roommates.
No, we had so many stores, bro.
Yeah, no, there's all kinds ofstuff.
Um we're keeping this PG ratedthinking about it.
Or oh, remember that colonelthat was saying he said, guys,
ought to bring a tear to a glasseye.
(10:05):
Anyway, um so you switched tothe rock band.
Was it already max impact?
Ryan (10:12):
No, it was high flight.
KC (10:13):
High flight.
Ryan (10:13):
Yeah, it was still high flight, yeah.
KC (10:14):
When you did that before I switched to the army.
Yeah, yeah.
So tell me about that.
When you switched to the room.
Ryan (10:19):
So what was that?
Like I was in the singers maybethree years, maybe?
So 03?
Something around there.
Yeah, it wasn't.
I switched in 04.
I feel like it was Yeah, it'slike the probably the year
before you switched.
So yeah, I got approached bythe then guitar player and
leader of High Flight back then,which was the premier show
group of the United States AirForce, right?
Right.
Um, and he was like, hey, youknow, the lead singer, he's
(10:40):
gonna be like retiring, youshould do this.
And it wasn't even on my radar,you know.
I figured that was the the gigwe all wanted to get the
singers, and then I startedthinking about it, and I was
like, Well, if I'm gonna do thisgig, I want to audition like
everybody else.
So I went through the auditionprocess and actually ended up
winning the gig and totallydifferent than the singers,
right?
Where we're standing on onstage with a folder, and now I'm
doing dances and choreographyand you know, all this stuff.
(11:02):
And so, but honestly, man, oneof the best decisions and one of
the best things that happenedto me was going over to that
group, you know, right duringthat time.
You know, I was young and wewere able to be some of the
first people to ever deploy anddo missions, you know, downrange
because of that.
But totally different bagwithin the same building, but a
totally different experience.
KC (11:20):
No, I know it was it was over the top.
I loved watching them, like yousaid, it high flight was kind
of the the quartet of vocalswith band.
Yeah.
Ryan (11:27):
Five vocals, you can see some people transitioned out.
KC (11:31):
So they had they had vocals in band, and it was definitely
like a top 40, like you said,show group kind of a thing.
But yeah, man, when you wentover and you guys switched over,
changed the name to Max Impact,and and started rocking hard.
Yeah.
And it was so fun to watch froma distance, or across the hall
rather.
Ryan (11:49):
Something just popped up in my brain, though, a memory of
you and I pre-High Flight whenwe were still both in the
singers.
Yeah, yeah.
Because I found the video of itand it was us performing the
Backstreet Boys at AFA.
You remember that?
Yes.
KC (12:02):
I want it that way.
Ryan (12:03):
Yeah, yeah, I want it that way.
And remember uh Ken had hisguitar on when he comes out and
the thing fell off.
And then I watched that videojust I think I was home this
last summer and I found thatvideo and I watched it.
KC (12:16):
Yeah, you gotta share that with them, man.
Ryan (12:18):
You and I always had like, like, you know, I was
never like the choral guy thatlike a lot of our colleagues
like knew every opera, knewevery, you know, you and I were
always in the same boat, like,we just want to sing.
I know, like, whatever.
We're just built to sing.
And I think we would singwhatever they put in front of
us, yeah.
If it was a pop song or if itwas, you know what I mean.
KC (12:34):
So I think another thing that we shared always, and we
still do, is we like what thepeople like.
Yeah.
We like the familiar, thestandards, you know, like that
song that's like takes you backto high school, you know, all
that stuff.
Well, first of all, I'm not asongwriter, so I don't have that
in me, so I just gravitatetowards good songs.
Yes.
But speaking of songwriting, soyou you tag team on a handful
(12:56):
of original songs with maximpact dedicated to Yeah.
Ryan (13:00):
So I think the very first project we did was Locked and
Loaded, and that was just kindof an overarching, you know,
like here's the Air Force, we'relocked and loaded.
This is the thick of 9-11.
Yeah, right after 9-11.
Then we did Stand about theHonor Guard, we did Send Me,
which is our big one that wewrote for Special Tactics in the
Air Force.
So it was huge.
Uh I think the last one we didwas Find You about BMT and about
(13:24):
being uh instructors and stuff.
But I think we won, I can'tremember now in my old age, but
I think four first place awardsfor like Air Force original
music, like top at the top.
So I guess our Grammys.
I don't know, whatever thatmeans.
KC (13:37):
You know, no, it was I remember they'd come out, you
know, you guys would grab videoson deployment.
I remember those, all thosebeing shared.
They're on YouTube.
You should check those out.
I'm sure if you just YouTubelike Max Impact or something,
yeah.
There's some great stuff.
The the other thing that I thatI love about starting this
podcast with you, man, is when Ido a solo date, of course I
referenced the military career.
(13:58):
I mean, that was the majorityof my musical life.
And so I always tell people,I'm like, listen, there's three
things, right?
Number one is to honor thefallen.
If it weren't for ArlingtonCemetery, none of us would have
a job.
I mean, that's the mainpurpose.
And number two is the espritdecor, right?
To encourage and inspire,uplift those that are still
active.
And then number three is tobridge the gap, I think, between
(14:21):
the American public who we'veentertained and performed for,
bridge the gap between them andthe frontline soldier.
Ryan (14:27):
Yeah, humanize the uniform.
Right.
KC (14:29):
So it's like we don't have to have the answers.
We can think we have theanswers, but it's not about what
we think, it's about the music.
Right.
Because music heals, itsoothes, it um Yeah, I used to
say our job was to help othersforget about their job.
Okay.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah.
So you're gonna be one of thefew people that I interview that
have deployed and done thatnumber two thing.
Ryan (14:51):
Yeah.
KC (14:51):
Because in DC, yes, there's active duty in our audiences,
right?
Right, right.
Like, but it's rare that we areperforming for an all-uniformed
audience.
Yeah.
Because we do so much PR.
I know you got a ton ofdeployment stories, but tell me
about some of the kind of thehighlights of that.
I mean, like things that juststick out in your mind, like oh
man, yeah, so much.
Ryan (15:12):
Um, first of all, like being part of the crew that
first was able to go do thatkind of thing, you know.
We didn't know what the heck wewere doing.
And I look back on it now andI'm like, we were crazy.
Like, you know, we had no opsplaying.
We were getting on the back ofa helicopter and flying into
some fob somewhere and gettingoff and playing, right?
Right.
And it was nuts.
But man, we always talk abouthow music changes hearts and
minds.
And you know, we do the companyline, it was our job to sell
(15:34):
that stuff on stage.
But man, to see it actuallymaterialize out there, like one
of my favorite stories I alwaysshare, and I I probably beat it
to death, but it's such a coolstory was you know, we're on
this fob and we've beenperforming for these guys.
And when I talk aboutdownrange, because we were such
a small unit, we were able to goreally far forward to where the
typical Air Force person wouldnever get to.
Or the typical USO tour.
(15:54):
Yeah, USO wouldn't even touchit.
Like so they're so you know,we're on this Ford operating
base with a lot of specialoperators, a lot of them
sanitized, right?
Meaning nothing on theiruniforms, beards, because they,
you know, they they want to beindigenous.
So anyway, long story short, weget done doing this show, and
and I would always end everyshow with home by Chris Dotry.
And that's like encouragepeople like, hey, listen, this
is just a moment.
(16:15):
You're going home, your familyneeds you.
You know, we need you.
Right.
And, you know, of course,thinking about my family too,
because I'm away from them aswell.
Right.
But man, I'll never forget wegot done doing that, and this
big burly, you know, green beretcame up to me and he took off
his uh army special forces patchand he threw it at my chest,
and he just looking at me and Isaid, Can I help you?
Like, I I didn't even know whatto say.
He said, I just want to let youknow you saved my life tonight.
(16:36):
And I was like, What are youtalking about?
I just took a step back and hesaid that he had been out there
for a while and they had justextended him and he was gonna
kill himself.
Oh my goodness gracious.
But then when we sang home, itmade him think of his wife and
his kids, and he's like, I canpush through and do this.
The dude turned around andleft, and then I still have that
patch on my desk that he gaveme in that moment.
KC (16:55):
Man, I can imagine he's one of those dudes like that was
really difficult for him totell.
Like the music, right, brokethrough this crust, man.
Ryan (17:03):
Multi-million dollar warfighter that was about to
take his life.
But like I said, you know, ourjob is to help them forget about
their job.
Right.
And music's a time machine,bro.
You said it.
Like, you know, when you hearyour wedding song for you and
Kara, where are you?
Right.
Right back at your wedding,right?
And so in those moments, we'reable to transport these guys
back to their home and let themforget about that kind of stuff.
(17:24):
So it's it's really cool to seethat happen.
I mean, and yeah, there'scountless stories, man.
There's funny ones about, youknow, dealing with host nations
and Romanian-led bases.
You name it, I've seen it.
From the worst of the worst towhere we're peeing in tubes on
the side of a mountain to, youknow, we got the greatest pool
in the desert at Aldafra, right?
KC (17:40):
So, but it's crazy.
So, how many times did you guysor were you involved in a
deployment with So I sixdeployments, yeah.
Oh man.
Ryan (17:47):
And you know, it ranges too.
We had those communityrelations things too that we do
over there.
I mean, I remember going toKyrgyzstan and playing for the
school for the deaf.
And everybody's like, Well,what are you doing with the
school for the deaf?
Put all our speakers on thefloor face down, and they were
feeling everything.
You know, it was really cool.
You know, they couldn't hearus, but they could feel us and
they could see us, right?
KC (18:03):
So power of music, man.
Shoot yeah.
Put the bass player to work,didn't you?
That's right.
Ryan, so I love what you justshared about that special forces
guy that just came up and likebasically, in his own way,
opened up to you and told youthat you, through the music,
saved his life.
I mean, literally.
Yeah.
So what I love sharing withpeople, because I've never
(18:25):
deployed, but what I lovesharing with people is when I
was at about the 10-year mark inthe service, a friend of
Kara's, she went went to schoolwith this guy named Tim Farry.
And Tim at the time was amajor, he was a chaplain in the
army.
Uh, he had been on numerousdeployments as a chaplain uh
downrange before and after thismoment.
We were talking and I wastelling a little bit about some
(18:45):
things that I was frustratedwith, you know, just life, DC,
the military.
Right.
You know, I was whining.
Ryan (18:52):
Yeah.
KC (18:52):
Right.
Because I was feeling thatgospel call that I'm that I'm
able to do now, like fullthrottle.
I was feeling that tug.
I was like, man, do I want tostay 10 more years?
I really want to get in theministry, yada yada yada.
Well, he told me he was like,Casey, you guys, through music,
get to share more Jesus than Ido from the pulpit in uniform.
And he reminded me, like, youguys are closing out every
(19:14):
concert with Battle Hymn of theRepublic.
That third verse says, In thebeauty of the lilies, Christ was
born across the sea with aglory in his bosom that
transfigures you and me.
He says, even if they don'tknow Christ, people are
clapping, but Jesus is sneakingin through you guys into these
people's lives.
You're getting away with itbecause it's patriotic, it's
(19:34):
it's spiritual, it's a genre,right?
But the truth is it is what itis.
Yeah.
Think about choral music.
Choral music came from thechurch.
The majority of the choral repthat we performed was sacred
base tech.
Now, some of it might have beenin Latin, some of it might have
been high church, but so muchgospel.
Think about the Christmasconcerts.
Yep.
Holiday concerts.
Yeah.
(19:55):
It was there, man.
And so whenever I gotfrustrated, I'd be like, all
right, the truth is we're stillsharing Jesus on almost every
concert.
Yeah.
So I don't know, man.
Does that bring up anything?
Yeah.
Ryan (20:06):
Like, you know?
I guess that was thefrustrating thing about our job
too.
You know, you couldn't talkabout that kind of stuff.
You know what I mean?
But I will say this like, Iknew that about you from the
very first moment I met you.
You know what I mean?
Like the joy of the Lord wasalways in you, you know, and you
had always talked about yourpassion for gospel.
And you know, I mean, and whowouldn't?
I mean, with your voice, Imean, bro, you're built for it,
bro.
(20:26):
You know what I mean?
You always were.
And I so I always knew thatcalling on your life.
And to see you now be on theother side and happy and doing
your I'm so happy for you, man.
KC (20:35):
Oh man, I appreciate it.
Ryan (20:36):
You know, and it comes down to hope, right?
Because music gives us hope.
But as a believer, we know ourhope is only in Jesus.
And it's taken me a lot of painand heartache to get to the
point where I recognize that youknow, without Jesus, we have
nothing.
Oh, yeah.
You know, and there was timesin my younger days of my career
I wish I would have been alittle bit more focused on Jesus
and not so much on me.
(20:56):
Yeah, you know, but I thinkthat's where the true hope comes
from.
You know, it doesn't come fromthe lyric, it comes from the
spirit, right?
People can feel that, you know,and I've been able to go on and
I always had a passion forworship music, you know, and
I've been leading worship nowfor 20 some years.
And Angie and I just found anew church home down here by us.
And after I retired, you know,Angie and I make the joke that
we finally feel like we livehere.
(21:16):
Because you know, we werealways up on bass, or you know,
we don't we didn't know ourcommunity here, you know.
So now we're really pluggedinto our local church, and I've
been leading worship there, youknow, playing guitar and singing
and doing the things andgetting to lead worship, and
that's where my heart is too.
Like it's never been standingwith a folder in my hands and
singing an opera or somethinglike that.
Even though we were built to dothat, you know what I'm saying?
KC (21:37):
There's a time and place, yeah.
People are like, Man, youshould do opera.
I'm like, I did just enoughopera to know that I don't want
to do it for a living.
Ryan (21:43):
That's right.
That's right.
KC (21:44):
That's how much I did.
That's right.
No, but honestly, tons ofbeautiful, recognized music that
people hear and appreciate.
Ryan (21:51):
And you know, going into the pop world too, right?
That was hard.
Because you don't I don'tconnect, and 90% of the stuff
that was on the radio wecouldn't do anyway, right?
Because of the message, right.
Or because of the words, youknow, so that was always a
battle, too.
Yeah.
KC (22:04):
Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of safe, generic text out there,
songs out there, yeah.
That are just harmless, funsongs, right?
But yeah, you really have to becareful with what you're
listening to.
But anyway, we're getting alittle bit off track.
One of the other things I tellpeople as far as singing sacred
music in uniform and ministeringthrough song, letting a song
soothe, heal, you know, be thatthat bomb that helps people
(22:28):
through whatever, whether it's adeployment or losing someone or
whatever.
You you never know.
I loved um looking out andseeing people being moved by
what we were kind of thinking ismaybe even being on cruise
control at times.
Um, I tell people I'm like, thethe military, the army, the air
force is not my church, youknow, and the generals were not
my pastor.
(22:48):
However, music God uses that,man.
And yeah, it could be a journeysong, it could be a gospel
song, it could be a whatever.
It means something.
Man, I'm just so grateful, youknow, to first of all, just to
reconnect and see you again.
And then I'm just excited aboutsharing your story and sharing
other people's stories aboutwhat we did in uniform through
music.
And then, of course, I'm gonnabe sharing other friends, you
(23:11):
know, that are in the gospelindustry their whole lives.
That's a world that's just sofun to like to be in now that
I've been watching from adistance and to sing with Poet
Voices and to sing with PhilCross and Donnie and Jeff.
You would love them, they wouldlove you.
Ryan (23:25):
But that's still my goal to jam with you guys so much.
I know, man.
KC (23:28):
I'm not giving up on you.
I call this guy, and you know,every so often I'm like, hey
man, I need a tenor, man.
I need a lead, I needsomething.
And he's just like, let me talkto Ange.
No, listen, he's a busy man,he's got a real job.
Ryan (23:43):
But hey, before we go though, I think you owe your
listeners because you know, youand I live together, basically.
Yeah, you know, road bros.
What's your favorite memory ofthe two of us together?
Like, what's something that yourecall that we did?
Something stupid or somethingfunny, or all right.
KC (23:58):
So, what about this one?
Okay.
This wasn't in the uniform, butthis was us four.
We went camping.
Okay.
I think we were here inSouthern Maryland, we were
probably down.
I th I want to say.
Of course, it's raining.
That's what happens when youdecide to pitch a tent and go
camping.
But we go down there and we'relike, like anything else, we
didn't really prepare.
But I remember the four of usbefore kids.
(24:20):
I think Max.
Yeah.
Was that your first schnauzer?
Ryan (24:24):
Yeah.
KC (24:24):
Max was with you.
But all I know is the four ofus slept on a queen size air
mattress turned sideways.
So we at least had our upper.
Um, the girls were in themiddle.
Yeah.
Ryan (24:37):
Oh my god, it was pouring down rain.
We had uh plastic bags wrappedaround the dog and I'm sure.
The girls planned the trip,didn't they?
Didn't they surprise us?
KC (24:48):
Uh yeah, I think so.
Ryan (24:48):
I think they surprised us because I I think I have a
picture of us in like the backseat with blindfolds on.
Oh, yes.
Yeah, and I think theysurprised us.
KC (24:57):
Oh man, I didn't remember that part.
I just remember, you know,basically like shoulder to
shoulder.
Anyway, it was tight.
Oh man.
Yeah, so we had some goodtimes, and then there's there's
other camping stories too.
But anyway.
Hey, listen, uh, before weclose out, I got a gift for you.
Ryan (25:13):
Oh man.
KC (25:14):
So I hope it fits you.
We do.
But it's a shirt that says,just keep singing.
If you dig the color, that'scool.
I do have some other colors ifyou want to exchange it.
Thank you.
That's fine.
Ryan (25:24):
I love it.
KC (25:25):
But man, I really appreciate you.
I mean, you hosted me.
I'm I'm the host of the podcastbeing hosted by the guest.
Ryan (25:31):
Hey everybody, I'm Ryan, and uh, I'm still singing.
(28:20):
Locked And Loaded- sung by Ryan Carson and Max Impact
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