A former paratrooper and Green Beret, Michael McCann knows what he’s singing about in Soldiers’ Songs. Beginning as an album of songs from 8 wars, Soldiers' Songs evolved into a presentation of the music histories of WWI, WWII and Vietnam with audiences ranging from students to seniors. Drawing on his combat experience, knowledge of military history and his satchel of songs written by and about soldiers, Michael tells powerful stories about these wars from the soldiers’ perspective.
 
“In 2003 Michael McCann gave a workshop on the soldier songs of World War I to a group of educators at the Yale-Hopkins Summer Institute on World War I. Mike's interactive presentation was well-received and given the highest rating. I would highly recommend it for both student and teacher groups.”
 

Stephen Armstrong
Teacher/Instructional Leader of Social Studies, Manchester Public Schools
Adjunct Instructor of History, Central CT State University
Master Teacher, Teaching United States History Grant, CREC
 
"Thank you for a wonderful performance.  You touched the hearts and memories of each person in our senior center audience.  I could feel the interest of the whole group."
 

Joanne Byrne, Senior Services Coordinator, Town of Orange, CT.

At the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month of 1918, an armistice (cease fire) ended World War I.  In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day to remember the conflict that took 20,000,000 lives.  Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all U.S. Veterans.  It is still called Armistice Day in Great Britain.  The Canadians and Australians call it Remembrance Day.

 Many songs on this site are dedicated to the memory of that conflict, including “The Green Fields of France”, “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”, “Christmas in the Trenches”, and “The Rose of No Man’s Land”. 

 See “Student Research Section” and “Educational Resources” page for these and other WWI songs.

 

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Copyright 2005, Michael McCann.  All rights reserved.

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