Scotty McCreery brought a deeply personal meaning to the 2017 National Memorial Day Concert when he performed his song “The Dash” on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on Sunday, May 28.
The performance, broadcast by PBS as part of the 28th National Memorial Day Concert, placed McCreery’s reflective song in a setting dedicated to remembering members of the U.S. military and their families. PBS continues to list the performance as a 3-minute, 1-second clip from the 2017 concert.
The Story Behind “The Dash”
McCreery originally recorded “The Dash” for his 2013 album See You Tonight. The song was written by Kyle Jacobs and Preston Brust and appears as the eighth track on the album.
For McCreery, the song carried a particularly personal connection because of a loss within his musical circle.
In an interview with Fox News, the country singer explained that a member of his band had a family connection to U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Andrew Carpenter, who was killed in action in 2011 while serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Carpenter was married to the cousin of McCreery’s bass player. At the time of his death from a fatal wound, Carpenter’s wife was pregnant with their first child.
McCreery said the people close to Carpenter wanted to keep his memory alive and make sure his sacrifice was not forgotten. Carpenter never had the opportunity to meet his son, but McCreery emphasized that the child would grow up knowing about his father’s service and sacrifice.
A Memorial Day Performance With Another Personal Tribute
The significance of McCreery’s performance extended beyond his connection to Carpenter.
During the 2017 concert, footage of SFC Lewis Clark Walton, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War, was shown while McCreery performed. Walton’s remains were not found and returned home until 36 years after his death. His widow and adult children were among those watching from the audience.
The moment added another personal dimension to the performance, connecting McCreery’s song with the story of a military family whose loss stretched across decades.
The National Memorial Day Concert was held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and aired on PBS on May 28, 2017. The program also featured performances from artists including Vanessa Williams, Renée Fleming, Auli’i Cravalho and others.
Meeting the Tuskegee Airmen
After taking the stage, McCreery had another memorable experience backstage.
The singer met members of the Tuskegee Airmen, the famed group of African-American military pilots whose legacy was being recognized at the event. McCreery later shared the encounter on Twitter, describing the opportunity as an honor.
A photograph from the event shows McCreery posing with members of the group backstage at the U.S. Capitol.
“The Dash” Remains Closely Linked to McCreery’s Career
“The Dash” was part of See You Tonight, McCreery’s 2013 studio album, which also included songs such as “See You Tonight,” “Feelin’ It,” “Blue Jean Baby” and “Carolina Moon.” The album was released on October 15, 2013, through Mercury Nashville and 19 Recordings.
The Memorial Day appearance gave the song a particularly fitting setting. Rather than being presented simply as a track from McCreery’s catalog, “The Dash” became part of an evening centered on the lives and sacrifices of service members and the families they left behind.
PBS’s official archive preserves McCreery’s May 28, 2017 performance from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, offering a lasting record of the appearance.
At the time of the concert, McCreery also had several upcoming shows scheduled as he continued touring in support of his music.