 Texas songwriter, Susan Gibson released the new single, “Compassionate Combat”, today to celebrate, thank and benefit nurses across the country and the world. Produced by Billy Crockett and recorded at his Blue Rock Studio late last year, the song speaks to the hard work, and dedication that nurses put into helping those in need. Never in our lifetime has this work been more at the forefront of our thoughts than it has been over the last year and Gibson’s song captures the feelings that so many of us share about them. So often we struggle to find a way to thank those people that do so much for us and “Compassionate Combat” serves as the perfect way to show them that we all care. It is officially available on all streaming platforms today. The video directed by Brent Tallent (linked below) is also now posted. The song itself has had quite a journey. In the spring of 2020 as our country was realizing the impact the pandemic was having and going to continue to have, Susan was one of the songwriters approached by Carolyn Philips of Songs For The Soul, an organization that strives to support caregivers through the power of music. Carolyn asked Susan to write a thank you song to the nurses that were working so diligently to help steer the nation through these unprecedented times. Once “Compassionate Combat” was written and a demo distributed to Songs for the Soul’s network it began to take on a life of its own. Shortly after, a friend asked Susan to record a video telegram of the song to send to nurses in the Houston area. With no plans to record a new album and the touring industry at a halt, Gibson spent the rest of the summer and early fall in Montana on her family cabin. A November online show from The Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studio would prove to be a pivotal moment in this song’s life. With no other new songs to showcase but having never performed the song live, Gibson decided to throw “Compassionate Combat” into the set list. Happenstance would have Dr. Cole Edmonson sitting at his home in Dallas, Texas taking in the show on his computer. Dr. Edmonson was immediately taken with the song, having spent his career working in nursing and nursing leadership. As Chief Experience and Clinical Officer at AMN Healthcare (a nursing staffing organization), Dr. Edmonson was in an unique position to bring this song to a large audience of people in the nursing and healthcare world and he reached out to Billy Crockett to inquire about a recording of the song. After Crockett and Gibson spent a few days discussing recording a quick acoustic of the track to send along, Edmonson offered up a budget to record a fully produced band version along with a video. It seemed as though the universe was bringing all of the pieces together for this poignant, beautiful song to the audience for which it was originally written for. One the budget was in place, everything else fell quickly into place. The studio was booked, the backing band put together and the basic tracks were put to tape. Soon after, Dirje Childs came to the studio and laid down a cello part that would become the signature sonic part of the song. With the foundation of the song ready, it was time to add some more voices to the mix, Gibson reached out to several friends to sing backing vocals on the track and they all immediately said yes. Now armed with the voices of Texas music standouts, Bill Small, Adam & Chris Carroll, Elizabeth Wills, BettySoo and Walt Wilkins, “Compassionate Combat” was sent to Chris Bell to mix down and then on to Jerry Tubb for the final mastering. The resulting recording is a showcase of the songwriting talent of Gibson and the masterful playing of the assembled band. But, more importantly it is a tribute, a thank you card, a virtual hug and an expression of love to a group of people that mean so very much to everyone in the world. Not satisfied with just releasing the song and video to the world, Gibson decided that she wanted to use the song to help raise awareness and money for the American Nurse Association. You will find the link to donate to them on the website that was set up as a dedication to not just the song but the people that it was written about and for, www.CompassionateCombat.com
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