THEY STILL CALL ME SOLDIER A Blue Wave Revival Album Nine Songs. One Lifetime. A Soldier's Story.

Some people take off the uniform and leave the military behind. I took off mine a long time ago, but the soldier in me never really left.

I grew up in a brick housing project in Boston and joined the United States Army at seventeen. I was young, scared, and thought I knew everything. Two tours in Vietnam and years of military service taught me otherwise. I saw things I'll never forget, lost pieces of myself along the way, and carried memories home that never quite stayed in the past.

But this album isn't just about war. It's about everything that comes afterward.

It's about the man nobody really knew. The battles we fight long after the shooting stops. The people who love us through our darkest days. The hands that have worked, held, fought, and grown old. It's about walking into a VA hospital and realizing that sometimes the people who help put us back together deserve a song of their own.

And it's about something else, too. Getting older, looking back at a life that didn't always go the way you planned, and realizing you've still got something worth saying.

Every song on They Still Call Me Soldier comes from a place that's personal to me. Some will make you think. Some might bring a tear to your eye. And I hope a few will remind you that growing older doesn't mean your story is finished.

I spent much of my life behind a microphone, playing other people's music for American servicemen and women. Now, through Blue Wave Revival, I'm finally telling some of my own stories.

This album is for every veteran who ever wondered whether anyone truly understood what they carried home. It's for the husbands, wives, partners, families, and caregivers who stood beside them. And it's for anyone who's ever looked in the mirror and wondered where all those years went.

I'm older now. My uniform has been hanging in the closet for decades. But the memories are still here, the stories are still worth telling, and I've still got a song to sing.

They still call me soldier. And I guess a part of me always will be.

— Rick Gaspa
U.S. Army Veteran | Founder, Blue Wave Revival

💙 A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO LABEL22

I also want to take a moment to recognize the wonderful folks at Label22, who generously donated their time, talent, and professional expertise to master this entire album.

When I started Blue Wave Revival, my goal was never to make money selling music. It was to share stories, reach people, and hopefully make a difference in the lives of veterans who might be struggling with PTSD, depression, loneliness, or the memories they carried home from military service.

That's why Label22's generosity means so much to me.

Their contribution goes far beyond making these songs sound better. By helping us professionally master They Still Call Me Soldier, they've helped us take another important step toward getting this music into the hands and hearts of veterans, their families, caregivers, and the people who stand beside them.

And because all Blue Wave Revival music is available free of charge, their support helps us continue sharing these songs without putting a price tag on the message.

I believe music can reach people in ways ordinary conversations sometimes can't. A song might remind a veteran that somebody understands. It might help a family member better understand what their loved one is going through. Or it might simply give someone having a difficult day a reason to smile and keep going.

That's what we're trying to accomplish, and Label22 has helped make it possible.

To everyone at Label22, thank you for your kindness, your generosity, and for helping this old Army veteran get his stories and music out into the world. You've become part of something that means a great deal to me, and I won't forget it.

With sincere appreciation,

Rick Gaspa
Founder & Songwriter
Blue Wave Revival

🎧 LISTEN, DOWNLOAD & SHARE — ALWAYS FREE

All Blue Wave Revival music is free to listen to, download, and share. If you know a veteran, a military family, or someone who might find comfort or encouragement in these songs, please pass the music along.

For the best listening experience, I recommend using headphones or earbuds. Every word tells a story, and I want you to hear them all.

Visit: bluewaverevivalband.com

THE MUSIC IS THE MESSAGE. 💙

THE WAR FOLLOWED ME HOME is probably the most personal album I have ever written. These five songs come from things I have lived with myself as a Vietnam veteran—the memories, the PTSD, the nightmares, the depression, and those nights when the past can suddenly feel a lot closer than it should.

I wanted the album to follow that journey honestly. It starts with the war following you home, then moves through the battles people may never see, the nights when you need someone beside you, and finally to that morning when the darkness lifts just enough to remind you that you made it through another night.

I am not trying to say PTSD simply goes away. It doesn’t. And I am not pretending every difficult night has an easy ending. I wanted these songs to be honest about what it can be like to live with memories that come back without warning, to deal with depression, and to understand that sometimes asking for help is part of surviving.

Although these songs come from my own experiences, this album is not only about Vietnam or about me. I wrote it for veterans from every generation and every conflict who may still be carrying something home with them. - Rick Gaspa

I also wrote it for the people who stand beside us—our families, friends, fellow veterans, and the VA doctors, nurses, counselors, and others who help us through the difficult days and nights. More than anything, I want other veterans to hear these songs and know they are not the only ones carrying this.