Breaking Code

Special Interview with Katie Cook Part 1

Thank you to all veterans and their families for your service and sacrifice!

Brantley POV

Jade and I are at the farm in Alabama, Katie Cook was doing an interview for a special they wanted to do on the work I have been doing with veterans. I really didn't want to but Justin and Jade talked me into it. So I was waiting on Katie and her crew to arrive. Jade walks out and brings me a bottle of water wrapping her arms around my waist. I kiss the top of Jades hair as I wrap an arm around her. "You feeling okay darling?"
"Yeah no sickness today so far, but don't want to take a chance so I say we go with you doing the tour of the farm by yourself and I will come in when we show the house before the main sit down interview. And yes I took my vitamins and nausea meds and I ate what you had left me."
  I can't help but laugh cause she is a little frustrated with me about always asking how she feels. But she indulges me since the trouble we had conceiving.
   We stand looking out over the field when we hear the crunch of gravel. We turn and see the black SUV come to a stop and park. Katie hops out dressed in jeans and T-shirt with boots. Jade looks at me and says," you owe me babe" I had told her I hope Katie understood that it was a real working farm and would need boots and not those high heel ones that she would break her neck walking around in. I had already gotten the razor out of the shed and the camera guy was getting everything worked out. Katie walked over and asked "Are you ready to bare your soul to the world BG?" Jade laughed when I said,"I thought I already did that with my songs"
Katie laughs," Yeah I guess you got me on that one. I do want to say thank you for having me and the crew here. So how do you want to do this?"
"Well I am gonna show you the farm and then when we get ready to go see the house Jade will join us before the sit down interview. I have arranged for you to talk to a couple of the veterans and their families also. They are staying in the cabins and y'all will be in the main lodge."

"Well BG sounds like you have it all worked out or was that your PR /business manager wife?"

"Nah Katie he has it all figured out by himself.I will make myself scarce for a while so you can get busy with the tour." Jade tells her before kissing me and walking back to our new house.

"Well lets get started, so lead the way BG" Katie tells me.
I hop in the razor and Katie gets in beside me and as I drive around the farm I show her the work that we are doing on certain fields and then we get to the new handicap accessible shooting houses. We get out and walk up the ramp and inside and I explain how when I talked to the veterans that some mentioned that they missed hunting. That because they were in a wheelchair they weren't able to hunt. So I thought that building sidewalks and ramps at my farm on certain areas that they could have some normal back in their lives. "
Katie asked,"what has been your favorite memory so far?"
I smile" that's easy seeing a veteran that hadn't been able to deer hunt in the 10 years he had been back due to an injury  take down a 12 point deer . The look on his face made it all worthwhile. That is what I wanted this to be about, giving back to the men and women who have given up so much of themselves that i can go out and play music to my fans. "

"You have taken a pretty hands on role with this farm why ?"

"Well Katie, I love to hunt and be out on the land. Nothing is better than being tired from an honest days work and it helps keep me grounded. Reminds me of where I came from and that I may not have served in the military but my family tree is full of service to our country. So this is my way to help give back and say thank you. It is seeing fathers being able to teach their children both sons and daughters their love of the land and hunting for your food. Passing of the knowledge that without ramps and shooting houses is impossible. I know that one of the best memories I have is killing my first deer, with my dad. To be able to give that experience to a father who served and gave up so much for me well it is all worth it. "

Katie wipes her eyes,"You really know how to pull at the heart strings don't you BG and not just in your music "

Laughing I take her to the cabins of the veterans that agreed to talk to her and I tell her I will be back in a little while. I head to check on Jade to make sure she is up to this interview.

Katie POV

"So what makes Brantley Gilbert  different than some other country music singer that supports veterans?"

Mark veteran who lost both legs below the knee in Iraq says"He lives his love for veterans. He not only talks about them in his concerts but in his every day life. He puts his money where his mouth is. He is hands on , like this farm. He was my guide and he treated me like a friend. A normal man, yes he thanked me for my service but more than that he asked about my family . He told stories of growing up and we talked like we had been friends for years. He is genuine. I am able to do something I haven't done in years and that is hunt. This is my second trip here but it won't be my last. "

"Do you feel like he is using you or other veterans for publicity to sell more albums?"

Joe veteran who suffers from PTSD "No he is real as it gets. The emotion that you see from him is real. He truly cares for veterans and this is proof. He may not tell you but most of the hunts he does for veterans he foots the bill to get them here. He takes care of the families and makes things easier for them. There are so many things he does that no one knows about. So he doesn't do it for publicity. To quote him," I do it because I am thankful for the fact I get to play music for a living and the reason I can do that is men and women like you who sacrificed and made sure that our country is still free."