Francie Roberts sings with the Swingin’ Blue Stars. She says the performances helped her overcome the fear of getting bad news about a loved one.
"It just took our mind off of it, learning the songs and knowing where we’re going to perform because you just never know if he’s going to be alive or if I’m going to lose him.”
Soon the small group of women was performing again and again. They learned some songs from the 1940s and 50s. The shows were especially popular with veterans from World War II and the Korean War.
Francie Roberts’ son Blake spent 16 months in Iraq with the United States Army.
She says people hearing the Swingin’ Blue Stars seemed to understand how the mothers felt.
“Afterwards, everybody would come up and shake our hands, and just give us that extra encouragement that they’ll be back. Our kids will be back. So we needed to hear that.”
The sons and daughters of the original members of the Swingin’ Blue Stars came home safely.
Now, Cindy Merino says the women perform songs with special meaning for older military veterans.
“Sometimes they’ll be enjoying it and laughing and the next song they will be crying. And then they’ll come up to us and say thank you so much for that, that was the last song I danced to with my husband. It just brings back so many memories for them. It really is amazing."
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25