AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK: Shot 10 Times in Afghanistan, Singer-Songwriter Scotty Hasting Finds Healing in Music with Nashville Hitmakers Joe Leathers and Skip Black in ‘The Story’
AMERICAN SOUNDTRACK: Shot 10 Times in Afghanistan, Singer-Songwriter Scotty Hasting Finds Healing in Music with Nashville Hitmakers Joe Leathers and Skip Black in ‘The Story’
Celebrating American Greatness Jon Kahn22 Jun 2026
It’s impossible to celebrate America’s 250th birthday without acknowledging the importance of the arts, culture and storytelling. As part of Breitbart’s special coverage for the 250, we reached out to some of Nashville’s most talented songwriters and artists and asked them to write original songs that reflect how they feel about America. The acoustic performances you will see mark the first time these songs have been heard by anyone and the first time these songs have been performed by their respective writers/artists. Breitbart has teamed up with SiriusXM to create a special broadcast that will air as we approach July 4 that will showcase all these songs consecutively. We are proud to present our readers with what we are calling
Singer-Songwriter Scotty Hasting’s musical journey is somewhat remarkable in that he only picked up a guitar about six years ago, and in that short period, he signed a publishing deal, has opened for the likes of Jelly Roll, Lee Brice and Dave Grohl, collaborated with Dolly Parton and Lee Brice for a version of Trace Adkins’ ’Til the Last Shot’s Fired, and has performed on the infamous stage at the Grand Ole Opry.
That’s a helluva story in of itself, but to truly appreciate Hasting’s journey, you have to go back to April of 2011, when the former Army Infantryman was left fighting for his life in Afghanistan after being shot 10 times from about 10 feet away. “Thank God, I’m still here,” he told us. But that was the beginning of whole new chapter in his life: music, and music became his “way to escape the PTSD and depression.”
Scott Hasting performs The Story.Photo: Chase Lauer
Hasting’s contribution to Breitbart’s American Soundtrack is a collaboration with veteran Nashville hitmakers Joe Leathers and Skip Black. Leathers has written hits for the likes of Lee Brice, Tim McGraw, Steve Holy, Jason Michael Carroll and has had songs performed by some of country music’s biggest acts such as Kris Kristofferson, Trace Adkins and Thompson Square to name a few. Black, who is not only a sought-after producer, he has penned songs for acts like Gary Allan, LOCASH, and Craig Morgan. Put those two talents together in a writers room with Scotty Hasting and you’re gonna get something special. The Story is indeed that.
Black said they wanted to focus on “the citizens of the country, the ones that built this country…the soldiers that charged a hill or a person that crossed a bridge for human rights.”
Leathers added “the central idea became okay we know the history, we’ve read history, we know what the books say. It’s now our responsibility to carry that on so we talked about that. I think maybe Scotty said ‘well, we’re the story.’ That’s what America means to us. We’re a part of it. We’re just not watching it.”
…and as the lyrics so profoundly state: We’re the lines left to write….
Co-writer Joe LeathersPhoto: Chase Lauer
Co-writer Skip BlackPhoto: Chase Lauer
Follow Scotty Hasting on Spotify and Instagram
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“THE STORY”
Written by Skip Black, Scotty Hasting, Joe Leathers
Performed by Scotty Hasting, Joe Leathers, Skip Black
If I told you the story
It’s hard to believe
An ocean divided
The king and the free
Frost on the tents at Valley Forge deep
Cannons roar through the city streets
Every breath a fight, every step a stand
Building a nation on bloodied hands
We’re more than a statue in the square
Or a flag in the air
More than an eagle in the sky
It’s a way of life
We’re the lines left to write
By dawn’s early light
We all play a part in its glory
We are the story
Marching on Selma, crossing the Rhine
Hearts held steady through blood and time
Voices rising, breaking the chains
The heartbeat of freedom can’t be restrained
Courage and struggle run through our veins
We’re more than a statue in the square
Or a flag in the air
More than an eagle in the sky
It’s a way of life
We’re the lines left to write
By dawn’s early light
We all play a part in it’s glory
We are the story
On common ground hand in hand
Divided we fall, together we stand
We’re more than a statue in the square
Or a flag in the air
More than an eagle in the sky
It’s a way of life
We’re the lines left to write
By dawn’s early light
We all play a part in it’s glory
We are the story
The Story Songwriters: Skip Black, Scotty Hasting, Joe LeathersPhoto: Chase Lauer
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
