Zach Bryan Reveals ‘Every Single Cent’ Made At His Veterans Day Show Will Be Donated To PTSD Victims And Their Families

Ahead of Zach Bryan’s Veterans Day concert at Gallagher Square at Petco Park in San Diego, California on Friday (Nov. 11), he revealed that 100 percent of the proceeds from the show will be donated to those who served and now suffer from PTSD and their families. 

The Oologah, Oklahoma native took to Twitter to say, “with no ego attached: every single cent made by the band and me through ticket sales and every single cent made by me on merchandise on November 11th at Petco Park will be split evenly and given to PTSD victims and their families. I can’t wait to see you guys there!”

The show will kick off at 8pm CT with opener Charles Wesley Godwin.

with no ego attached: every single cent made by the band and me through ticket sales and every single cent made by me on merchandise on November 11th at Petco Park will be split evenly and given to PTSD victims and their families.
I can’t wait to see you guys there!

— Zach Bryan (@zachlanebryan) October 28, 2022

Bryan was an active-duty member of the U.S. Navy for seven years. During that time, he developed his craft for songwriting in his spare time until he announced he had been honorably discharged in 2021. 

In the post, he wrote “I joined the Navy as a 17-year-old kid. It’s all I lived, slept and ate for eight years, it’s been all I knew since I was basically a snot-nosed child. It made a man out of me, truly. I ran with some big dogs, saw a few fights, out-drank the best of them, but more importantly, got to serve alongside some of the best men and women I was ever blessed enough to meet.”

He added, “If it was my decision, I would never get out of the world’s greatest Navy, but here I am and they kindly honorably discharged me to go play some music. Can’t tell if I’m a coward or if I’m chasing a dream but regardless, the best eight years of my life were spent serving the best country in the whole damn world.”

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Bryan recorded his debut album, DeAnn, during a break from the service in 2019. The next year, he got the chance to release his sophomore project, Elisabeth, and his breakthrough single, “Heading South.” At this point, his fanbase was forming and begging for more music. 

During a previous interview on Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen, Bryan revealed that he left the Navy to become a musician. He also shared that it was his gunner who motivated him to pursue his dreams. 

“I had people who were in my life that weren’t supportive of me [being a musician]. And I was like, ‘That’s strange. I want to be supported in everything that I do,’” Bryan told Bannen.

“He continued, “So I left those situations and I honestly was in the Navy and I wasn’t… that’s why my supervisors and things, they were like really, really intrigued by me because I told them. I was like, ‘I don’t have to get out of the Navy. You guys can keep me if you want. I don’t care. I’ll always write music. No matter what anyone or anyone says or anyone does, this is what I do. And that’s what I’m going to do. So you guys can keep me in the Navy. I don’t mind.’”

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After returning home, Bryan’s passion for music did in fact get the chance to soar. He began uploading music to YouTube, which led him to become the artist we know today with a voice full of grit and that classic outlaw country sound that fans have fallen in love with. 

So far in 2022, Bryan has released two projects, American Heartbreak, and Summertime Blues. His Veterans Day concert is his last scheduled show for this year.