“He sings with a lot of heart. With a kick ass band his music could reach many ears and hearts. I was struck by this man and his dedication.” - Neil Young.............................................................................
“He has created an album of love, loss and regret for some of the things he’s had to do” -Jason Rovou, CNN..............................................................................
As the sun broke into the sky and began to burn, Josh Hisle was returning from yet another sleepless night of fighting a faceless enemy. With his mind racing towards a breaking point, he needed an outlet to release all the anger and pain. He dropped his gear, put down his rifle, and picked up a nasty broken acoustic he and his brothers laughingly called “the vet”. He stepped out the door of his haggard shelter and sat down to play. Not long into that morning he had completed the song, “a traitors death”. Wanting to express his feelings of pain, loss and the mismanagement of the war, it was nearly impossible to keep these songs to himself. Josh was an infantry squad leader and his songs didn’t exactly promote the iraq war. If his squad knew he felt this way, they may begin to doubt the cause, thus rendering him ineffective as a leader. His mission was not to kill, but to bring them home alive. Day after day and fight after fight, he wrote alone, never to play these songs for his marines.
It wasn’t until he returned home, and left the corps a decorated veteran, that he started to play these songs live for audiences in the states. One evening, just a few minutes before playing at a local bar, Josh received a phone call from filmmaker and old friend, Mike Cerre. Mike asked him to come to Columbus and play with Neil Young as part of a documentary. Josh quickly set out to record “A Traitors Death”. It was then that he producer and publisher, Jon Brennan. The recording went well and the song began to reach many hearts and minds. The next step was obvious, Josh Began recording the album that was burning inside. His songwriting background and combat experience bring forth passion and truth, both virtues rarely seen in today’s music. What began as an acoustic outlet to help him through two tours in Iraq is now a message board of truth for all. He sings of love, loss and life, and that’s something to which we can all relate.
Since the recording of his first album, Josh has been hard at work with new cellist and fellow songwriter Mike Ronstadt on their new album "the last great loss" and will be performing at the Bridge School benefit this october in MT. View California. Stayed Tuned, as this a very exciting time for us all.
Contact:
Bryan Clifton
bryanclifton@gmail.com
Josh...let me start by saying that I've ALWAYS thought of you as an extrememly talented individual. I just listened to every song on your playlist and I'm absolutely blown away by your voice, your musical insight, and poetic lyricism. Purple Hearts is beautiful. Keep going...
.. hey josh! thx alot for being friends! we saw you at neil youngs movie dejavu! great film! and we love your music! much love N!RGEnDWo P.S. check this out, our new website: www. nirgendwo-music. de
Hey Josh, not sure if Jon passed along the message or not, but I did think of you last weekend while I was missing your show. The movie is actually showing at a theater in Chicago, so I'm trying to get some people together to go. I'm sure I'll end up seeing it more than once. Check out the new song on my profile. Not sure if you've heard it or not. I just now discovered it, and have just listened to it about five times in a row. It's awesome. I guess I should go out and buy that CD. Hope you're doing well.
