When you get your copy of Not Every Day Is St. Patrick's Day, you're in for a wee bit of a surprise. For several years, I had a fan ask me to record an album of anti-Irish drinking songs. Most of my CDs have drinking somewhere in the title. So the request was valid. Maybe even more so since my mom is a drug and alcohol counselor.

The simple fact is that I like to drink. Sure, I don't usually drink to excess. As a father, I drink a lot less nowadays. So recording such an album just didn't make sense (even though the marketer in me loves the idea).

That all changed in 2012. I was performing at the Scottish-Irish Festival in West Texas when I first met Hugh Scanlen. Hugh is a Vietnam vet who helps soldiers with PTSD. We were chatting after one of my shows. An Irish drinking song was playing while recited his poem “The Alcoholic” to me. I was in tears by the end of the poem. I vowed then and there to share it on one of my CDs.

I'm not totally sure what made me need to share the poem. However, I did feel it fit the title–Not Every Day Is St. Patrick's Day–adding a satirical look at what many see as a drunken holiday.

The poem was originally written for a soldier who drank to drown out his PTSD. In my mind, it also serves another great purpose though. It draws attention to our own cultural weakness and the stereotypes associated with the Celts. It's only through recognition that we can move past those weaknesses to create a stronger Cultural bond. I am proud to include such a moving piece on my CD.

So my thanks goes out to Hugh Scanlen and my blessings to all those who serve and suffer. That's the reason I decided to donate 1% of the profits of this album to our military facing post-traumatic stress of our Vets. I hope you will enjoy the album and the poem as much as I do.

Not Every Day Is St Patrick's Day goes on sale on January 17th.