Jenny Boyle

For those who do not know me personally, and I’m sure there are many of you out there, I [Ron Trembath] have been contributing to FensePost for over a year and a half now. What might be the real surprise is that I am also a member of the United States Air Force. I usually tend to leave the bill paying job apart from my contributions here, but I recently found the two worlds intertwined when I came upon the chance to have a sit down with singer/songwriter Jenny Boyle, in what I must refer to as an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, where I have called home since January of this year. Risking any plight by joining the two worlds for this interview was absolutely worth it considering all the wonderful things Boyle and her band have done to entertain me and my fellow comrades throughout the “undisclosed” world.
Jenny Boyle hails from the northern sections of Virginia, but now calls Baltimore her home (Fells Point to rep specifically!). On the east coast, Jenny lives the life of an OR Nurse by day and a rocking, bar hopping songstress peddling around sweet and harmonic, R&B driven pop music by night. But, for what is now her 8th trip overseas, when she comes across the pond – she is a Star! Jenny, and her band of extremely talented and hand selected jazz/rock musicians. Whether she is playing her heart out in Fells Point, Maryland, or performing for hundreds at a time overseas, her voice echoes with talent and her passion to entertain is without a doubt, inspiring to say the least.

Boyle has been around the globe so many times, Bono would have to bow to her continuous efforts. From military hospitals in Germany, to windblown war fronts most only see through the eyes of a cable news cameraman. When asked about her most memorable stop in the last six years of spontaneous touring, humbly she stated:

[Boyle] “Obviously, having the opportunity to perform in places such as Germany or Spain, which was absolutely beautiful, are wonderful from a tourists point of view. But, the shows in Afghanistan have to be the highlight of [the tours]. They really seemed to enjoy the shows. They don’t have too many options around those parts beyond Xbox and the gym, so they deserved a change of pace.”

One of Jenny’s most personal tracks, “World of Dust” is a harrowing descriptor of what she saw in her time in the midst of the modern day battlefields. But the majority of her original work is more uplifting and pop oriented. Her 2006 debut album, Life in Mosaic, was well received by critics and audiences alike. On Tap magazine could not have been more spot on when they praised Boyle as having, a sultry voice and soulful riffs. The Jenny Boyle Band will be releasing a new album in the in the near future. “The new album is going to be a bit more R&B and rock oriented. A bit less pop than the first record. But, not completely withdrawn though,” Boyle mentions.

As a songwriter, there are certain inspirations that are obvious within her songs. Love is a common theme. The corresponding loss that sometimes follows it is there as well. “It’s easy to write a song with no real meaning or emotion that is appealing. But, it can be extremely challenging to make something entertaining, yet personal. I like that,” Jenny pronounced with an excitement in her eyes one can hope she never loses.

Although her songs are inspiring in themselves, it is her live performances that are by far the most captivating aspect of her life as a musician. Especially during her shows for the troops. Touring as an independent act has had its challenges, but in the end, Jenny will, in the sweetest stereotypical fashion, admit that it is absolutely worth it, and that the troops without a doubt deserve a good time.
[Boyle] “Our goal is to try and bring a bit of American life back to the troops. That’s why we throw in a few covers that are sure to garner mass appeal. I like to play my own songs, but we might throw in a song like “Santeria” from Sublime, to maybe remind the folks of a good time spent on the beach somewhere in their life. We’ve learned that an audience that is primarily made up of service members will love to hear the songs they already know and love.”

Whether playing her own brand of pop, or covering the classics, audiences around the world have been left in awe by the talent that Jenny and her boys have unleashed upon them. Performing as Jenny & The Drivers or simply, The Jenny Boyle Band, our heroine has performed with the likes of Los Lobos and Drowning Pool. As well as teaming up with the always popular group of Cheerleaders from any professional sports team you could name, and a plethora of touring comedians.

If you had asked Jenny Boyle in 2004 if she could have seen herself performing in front of so many troops, or to anyone by 2010, the inevitable response would be no. After a college degree studying voice, and a short stint trying to make it as a musician, Jenny called it quits to help nurse her mother for six months after a terrible car wreck nearly claimed her own, and her family’s life. She called it quits, and shifted her career over to becoming a nurse. But, not before Jenny’s father had the brilliant idea in telling her to apply to the Armed Forces Entertainment to play for the troops. Eventually she would receive the call. And, well, the rest is history.

[Boyle] “It’s important to me that the people I play with are on the same page as me when it comes to these tours. We know it that there is a cause behind what we are doing. I don’t want someone coming along who is only in it for the traveling. It’s about so much more than just seeing the world. It’s about using our music to boost their morale, and provide some sort of hope for the troops.”
According to Jenny, the future will definitely consist of another tour, after she finishes her current tour of course.

[Boyle] “I love it. I want to continue doing it as long as I can, whenever I get that call from the Pentagon. I’m off.”

The inspiration and tremendous good times that Jenny Boyle has brought to tens of thousands of troops throughout the world is something few will ever do, or even have the guts to do, in their lifetime. It is great to see an artist that is as humble and dedicated to service as this lady. As a service member, I am extremely in awe of the passion she has shown in doing something as crazy as jumping on a C130 aircraft to sing a few songs for us. It is definitely an honor.

Be sure to head over to Jenny’s WEBSITE for updates, and how to pick up a copy of Life in Mosaic.
- FensePost-5 July 2010 Written by Ron Trembath

Please see the link for the on-line article!

http://catalog.proemags.com/publication/a01a81bd#/a01a81bd/38 - OR Today Magazine

By Matt Palmer
mpalmer@CatholicReview.org

Ten years ago, Jenny Boyle was in a car with her sister, brother and mother en route to their first ski trip. An elderly man pulled in front of the family on the highway, causing the Boyle family to swerve and flip over eight times.

Jenny, currently an operating room nurse at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center, says that people still marvel that anyone survived.

“We definitely had an angel with us that day,” the 30-year-old Springfield, Va.-native said.

Jenny’s mother – Mary Elizabeth – suffered horrific head injuries. At that point, Jenny was a music student at George Mason University, but she dropped out to take care of her mother. She decided to go to a local community college and study nursing.

The lifelong Catholic said: “I think that the accident helped me reevaluate what was important in life. At the time, it was my family, and they took precedent over anything else.”

It was a monumental decision for Boyle. When she was about 3, her mother would work the night shift as a nurse at a local hospital. Jenny’s father would tape record Jenny singing and play it for her mother when she got home from work.

Music had become a singular focus. After the accident, Boyle quit the various bands she was in and began marching toward a career in nursing. Just before the accident, she had followed through on her grandfather’s recommendation to apply to Armed Forces Entertainment, a program that sends musical acts overseas to perform for U.S. troops.

One day, she got a call from the Pentagon asking her to serve the country with her music. Boyle assembled a band quickly and performed overseas during spring break of her last year in nursing school.

“I studied for my nursing board exams while on a C-130 plane on the way to Afghanistan,” she said with amazement.

She went on to do seven tours and has been to nearly 30 countries, including Afghanistan, Kuwait, Djibouti, Germany, Spain, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Greece and Japan among other countries.

Boyle talked with troops and often heard stories of girlfriends, wives and children back home. She also visited a German hospital where injured troops were treated.

“There were a lot of people who were in really bad shape,” Boyle said of the hospital. “We’d go into the rooms and half of them didn’t have arms or didn’t have legs. They were just a mess. For me, combining my two professions was extremely moving.”

She found her music could help the troops feel like they were back home.

While she is waiting for her next tour, Boyle has gravitated toward Baltimore. Her boyfriend, Mike Kuhl, is a member of her band and a graduate of Baltimore’s Archbishop Curley High School. Once more pop-country sounding, Boyle describes her music as a mix of rock and soul.

She plays in many Baltimore area clubs, including Federal Hill’s Bertha’s Restaurant. She will perform Feb. 13 at Ram’s Head in Savage at 9 p.m.

In her nursing career, she looks for inspiration from her mother and finds comfort at Mercy.

“Hospitals are cold, scary places, but it just doesn’t have that feeling to me,” Boyle said. “You definitely feel like you have God on your side there.”

For more information on Jenny Boyle, visit www.jennyboyle.net or www.myspace.com/jennyboyle


Jan 21, 2010
- The Catholic Review

America Supports You: Concert Kicks Off Fourth of July Festivities for Troops

American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 4, 2007 –

The owners of a musical landmark on the outskirts of the nation’s capital and a vocalist who uses her talents to entertain U.S. troops kicked off Fourth of July festivities for local servicemembers here last night as a way of thanking them for their service.

Gary Oelze and Ralph Capobianco, co-owners of the Birchmere Music Hall, closed their doors to the general public to treat about 150 veterans, reservists and active-duty military to an evening of free food. Then musician Jenny Boyle and her band took the stage to “wow” the crowd as she belted out a mix of original work and classic hits that had the crowd hanging on her every syllable.

“We’ve both been in the service,” said Capobianco, a former Naval aviator. “We were pleased to close off the venue for our servicemembers.”

Oelze, a former Air Force pilot, said it was a fun way to thank the crowd for their military service.

Boyle is no stranger to military audiences. The singer has traveled to 26 countries to perform for troops, in addition to performing multiple times at the Pentagon and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C.

Vocalist Jenny Boyle performs during a military appreciation concert in Alexandria, Va., last night. The owners of the Birchmere Music Hall, both military veterans, showed their appreciation to local veterans and servicemembers by donating both the venue and food for the evening's festivities. Defense Dept. photo by Palmer Gleason
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.



“This is how I thank these folks for what they do on a daily basis for our freedom,” she said of her performance. “We have the best men and women serving our armed forces,” she said. “And there’s nothing I love more than telling them that.”

Not only does she sing and play guitar, Boyle is also a songwriter. Calling it one of her most exciting tunes, Boyle said “World of Dust,” was written following her visit to troops deployed to Afghanistan and the song is her tribute to them.

Deployments are monotonous, said audience member Marine Sgt. Noah Tretter. Currently serving as a tour guide for visitors at the Defense Department’s headquarters, Tretter has deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan.

“When someone comes out to the middle of nowhere to perform for troops it means a lot,” he said. “And when they are talented like this young lady it makes it even better.”

Although the evening centered on expressing appreciation to troops, several grassroots support groups also attended to educate the audience on the services available to them and their families.

Members of the Defense Department’s America Supports You program, which spotlights troop-support efforts and helps to connect home-front groups with servicemembers and their families at home and abroad, had information booths set up in the Birchmere’s lobby.

“It’s plain and simple, I want troops to know that we are here for them and support them,” said Karen Grimord of the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project. Her organization provides comfort and relief items to military members who become sick or injured from their service.

Her organization has shipped more than 14,000 pounds of sweat suits, house slippers and personal hygiene items to the medical center in Germany since December 2004.

Operation First Response President Peggy Baker shared Grimord’s sentiments. Since 2004, her group has assisted more than 2,000 families or troops coming through Landstuhl and Walter Reed medical centers with both personal and financial needs.

At her booth last night, she had a quilt on which supporters could write messages. The quilt, which was nearly covered by night’s end, will soon find its way into a backpack along with clothing and hygiene items that will be delivered to a combat support hospital in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The concert had a special meaning for Baker, whose son deployed to Iraq in March. “It goes to show that there are so many Americans supporting our troops,” she said. “It is amazing.”

“The entire event was wonderful,” Baker said. “You can always tell when you’re in a room filled with heroes; and the Birchmere had a special feeling tonight.”


Related Sites:
America Supports You
Landstuhl Hospital Care Project
Operation First Response
Birchmere Music Hall

As part of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, the Birchmere, in Alexandria, Va., last night hosted vocalist Jenny Boyle in a concert dedicated to the men and women of the armed forces. Defense Dept. photo by Palmer Gleason
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- By Carmen L. Gleason

News Releases
Jenny Boyle and the Drivers set to ring in the New Year for U.S. troops in Europe
December 6, 2007download story
Premiere dance/party band to tour with Armed Forces Entertainment

Washington, D.C.-based dance/party band, Jenny Boyle and the Drivers, will ring in the New Year for troops stationed in Europe and the Mediterranean December 26 - January 13. The high-energy group brings a cover song repertoire that ranges from classic R&B greats such as James Brown and Aretha Franklin to the contemporary sound of artists like Rhianna and Kelly Clarkson.
Jenny Boyle and the Drivers are passionate about showing their support for members of the United States military and their families. "Touring is our way of saying 'thank you for all that you do' to our brave American heroes and their families who sacrifice so very much to protect our freedoms," said Boyle. "Our troops deserve the gratitude, appreciation and support of all Americans. Our greatest reward for performing for our servicemen and women is seeing the smiles on those weary faces."
Boyle’s band has been together for almost 10 years and is considered one of Armed Forces Entertainment’s touring veterans. In addition to being an entertainer, Boyle is a registered nurse. She combined her two passions of healing and music by performing for wounded troops at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, which she considers to be one of her greatest achievements.
“Jenny Boyle and the Drivers will put on a phenomenal New Year's dance party for our troops in Europe,” said Marine Corps Captain Jesse Davidson, Armed Forces Entertainment circuit manager for Europe and the Mediterranean. “You can be sure that this band's audiences will be getting a groove on to the sound of favorite dance songs, old and new."

To learn more about Jenny Boyle visit www.jennyboyle.net.







- Armed Forces Entertainment

America Supports You: Pentagon Kicks Off Appreciation Month with Concert

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2007 – There aren’t enough “thank yous” in the world to express the gratitude felt for the members of the armed forces, said up-and-coming vocalist Jenny Boyle, the entertainer for the Pentagon’s kick off to Military Appreciation Month today.

During the third annual America Supports You Military Appreciation Concert, Boyle entertained the audience with her rock and country stylings of crowd favorites, as the Pentagon Channel broadcast the hour-long concert live to 350 military installations worldwide.

America Supports You is a Defense Department program designed to connect grassroots support groups and corporate partners with the men and women of the U.S. armed forces and their families.

“(Jenny) is a real hero in my mind because she has gone everywhere we have people in uniform around the world, whether she had to wear a flak vest or not, to provide a taste of home to those folks that are away from their families and friends fighting for our freedom and our way of life,” Navy Vice Admiral Nancy Brown, Joint Staff director of command, control, communications and computer systems, said during her opening remarks. “She has sacrificed on her own to do that.”

Boyle has entertained troops at U.S. military installations during five tours with Armed Forces Entertainment and the United Service Organizations. She has performed in locations such as Germany, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Djibouti and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to name a few.

“(The men and women of the armed forces) have done so much for our country and they sacrifice so much on a daily basis,” Boyle said. “It’s the least that we can do to go overseas to entertain and support them. It’s an honor.”

For soldiers like Army Maj. Chew Leung, who works in the Army’s personnel office, the concert briefly enjoyed during his lunch break had special meaning.

“I grew up during a time when the military was mostly disregarded,” he said, referring to Vietnam-era days. “It’s nice to have a performer come out and express her support for what we are doing. I really appreciate this.”

Boyle said troops who are far away from friends and families especially appreciate her performances. “(Bringing) just a little bit of home to them means so much,” she told American Forces Press Service. “And to be a part of that and being a part of America Supports You is such an honor.”

“Have a great Military Appreciation Month,” she said at the close of the concert. “You deserve every second of it!”


Related Sites:
America Supports You



- By Carmen L. Gleason

Singer Shows Military Appreciation

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2007 - The Pentagon kicked off Military Appreciation Month today with the third annual “America Supports You Salute Concert,” featuring local recording artist Jenny Boyle, in the national military headquarters’ center courtyard.

America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.

Navy Vice Adm. Nancy Brown, the Joint Staff’s director for command, control, communications and computer systems, opened the concert with a welcome to guests of honor including six wounded soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here, and Rebecca Gates, wife of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

Brown expressed appreciation for the Pentagon’s civilian work force and the America Supports You home-front groups in attendance.

“I also want to … thank all of the folks that work in the Pentagon, because you also are warriors supporting those that are out in Iraq and Afghanistan and all of the other places that we have folks deployed today,” Brown said. “For our (home-front) groups that are here with their booths, … for their contributions and their sacrifices in supporting our troops, thank you all very much.”

The appreciation continued when Boyle and her band took the stage. The singer, who Brown had introduced as a “real hero” for her dedication to entertaining troops overseas, expressed her gratitude for the troops and civilians alike.

“There aren’t enough thank yous,” Boyle told the crowd. “You all are my heroes, each and every one of you.”

Army Staff Sgt. Collins Roberts, one of the six Walter Reed patients in attendance, said he was grateful for Boyle’s efforts to support the troops and the efforts of those like her. Roberts, who received support from America Supports You home-front groups while serving in Kuwait, said the care packages and letters from the kids kept him going.

Today’s concert was just an extension of that support, he said. “She doesn’t ask for anything; … (its) just to shows appreciation for what the military does, what we do,” Roberts said. “It speaks a lot of her.”

Defense civilians said the concert was a nice tribute to their efforts, and a great way to spend a lunch hour.

“I think that’s wonderful that people … give back to (servicemembers),” Barbara Brown, a contractor with Syracuse Research Corporation, said. “It’s really refreshing, especially on a beautiful day, good music, just to say, ‘Thank You.’”

An autograph session with Boyle and her band capped the hour-long, lunchtime concert.

A declaration in 1999 encouraged U.S. citizens to observe May as Military Appreciation Month "in a symbol of unity - to honor the current and former members of the armed forces - including those who have died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.”

- By Samantha L. Quigley / American Forces Press Service

On Tap Store

CD Reviews
written by
Rebecca Armendariz, Stockely Baksh, Robert Fulton & Joel Sparks

Jenny Boyle
Life in Mosaic
With her debut album Life in Mosaic, Virginia native Jenny Boyle has continually won over the hearts of many. And she’ll probably capture some more, who are likely to fawn over Boyle’s sultry voice and soulful riffs, if not drawing inspiration from her words and the music itself. But there’s more to Boyle than meets the eye. This songbird, also a registered nurse, has played for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, not to mention her and her band have toured overseas on the armed forces circuit performing for the troops in Afghanistan, Cuba and Italy, to just name a few. — SB

- On Tap Magazine

November 10, 2006

Jenny Boyle warms up the holiday season for U.S. troops in Europe. Premiere rocker and international entertainer to tour with Armed Forces Entertainment

Armed with a blend of sultry sound and smooth guitar compilations, Jenny Boyle will perform for troops stationed in Europe during the holiday season Nov. 15-Dec. 12. Hailing from Washington D.C., the 26-year-old entertainer is known for being one of the sweetest rock stars to hit the international scene. “I am so proud to be an American and I so admire our troops for the sacrifices they make to protect our freedoms,” said Boyle. “I wanted to do something to show them how much they are loved and appreciated and to serve our country the only way I know how.”

Boyle recently released her first full-length album titled Life in Mosaic, which is available at most base exchanges supported by Army and Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) Boyle is the first Armed Forces Entertainment artist to have CDs available for purchase through AAFES.

Boyle’s band has been together for almost 10 years and is considered one of Armed Forces Entertainment’s touring veterans. In addition to being an entertainer, Boyle is a registered nurse. She combined her two passions of healing and music by performing for wounded troops at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, which she considers to be one of her greatest achievements.

“Boyle’s strong voice and unprecedented style are what makes her performances stellar and truly entertaining for the troops,” said Marine Captain Jesse Davidson, Armed Forces Entertainment Europe circuit manager. “We are also excited about the opportunity for troops overseas to have access to Jenny’s CD. Up-and-comers like Jenny offer great music, but troops usually have to order CDs through the artist while they are at the base, then wait weeks for it come in the mail. AAFES is making it a lot easier for troops to get our artists’ music” .

Armed Forces Entertainment is the lead Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to U.S. military personnel serving overseas, with priority given to those in contingency operations and at remote and isolated locations. The Department of the Air Force is the executive agent of Armed Forces Entertainment. Founded in 1951, Armed Forces Entertainment brings a touch of home to more than 500,000 troops annually, embracing the best of Americana that stretches across all genres of entertainment. Visit www.armedforcesentertainment.com for more information.

To learn more about Jenny Boyle visit www.jennyboyle.net.

Jenny Boyle Tour Schedule

DATE TIME LOCATION

Friday, Nov 17 3:00 pm WHC CFK Fitness Ctr, Darmstadt, Germany
Saturday, Nov 18 9:00 pm Combined Club, Sembach, Germany
Wednesday, Nov 22 9:45 pm Edelweiss Lodge & Resort, Garmisch, Germany
Thursday, Nov 23 10:00 pm The Cove Club, Mannheim, Germany
Friday, Nov 24 10:00 pm Club E, Ramstein, Germany
Saturday, Nov 25 8:00 pm Kazabra Blub, Vogelweh, Germany
Tuesday, Nov 28 6:30 pm Tornado Tavern, Buechel, Germany
Wednesday, Nov 29 7:00 pm Prime Time Bar & Grill, Chievres, Belgium
Thursday, Nov 30 6:30 pm Community Club, Volkel, the Netherlands
Friday, Dec 1 6:30 pm WINTERFEST, Stuttgart, Germany
Sunday, Dec 3 7:00 pm Events Centre, SHAPE, Belgium
Tuesday, Dec 5 7:00 pm Community Club, Kleine Brogel, Belgium
Wednesday, Dec 6 1:00 pm WHC, Baumholder, Germany
Friday, Dec 8 8:00 pm Consolidated Club, RAF Croughton, UK
Saturday, Dec 10 8:00 pm The Atlantic Club, JMF St. Mawgan, UK

For general information on this and other AFE tours coming into the Europe/Balkans Circuits, please contact: George DeGrella, AFE Europe/Balkans Regional
- Melissa Welch/Sarah Tober

By Leef Smith Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 20, 2005; Page C01

Jenny Boyle didn't make it to Hollywood after her "American Idol" audition. And when the 26-year-old pediatric nurse sings in the smoky Northern Virginia bars where she's a regular act, she has to compete with the sports channel and boozy conversations for the attention of customers.

But on her overseas tours, Boyle travels with a security entourage and plays to cheering crowds. She and her four-piece band spend hours signing autographs and posing for photos with fans.
Even if it sometimes requires body armor.

Boyle, from West Springfield, was plucked from obscurity to perform on the war-zone circuit. She and more than 100 largely unknown artists like her, including about 20 groups from the Washington area, have been enlisted by an organization called Armed Forces Entertainment to play for the troops in such countries as Afghanistan, Qatar and Kuwait.

"They treat you like a superstar," said Boyle, whose Jenny Boyle Band returned earlier this month from a 21-day trip to Central Asia, parts of the Middle East and Africa, her fourth overseas tour. "I'll do the shows as long as they ask me," said Boyle, who will soon return to her job at a pediatrician's office in Burke. "I just have to wait until they call."

You've probably heard of the USO, made famous by Bob Hope and a string of celebrities who began entertaining the troops during World War II. The lesser-known Armed Forces Entertainment was founded in 1951 and today coordinates most of the overseas performances for military audiences, including providing support for USO shows. These days, many troops stationed overseas are entertained by "non-celebrity" acts, particularly in isolated areas.

This year, AFE has sent more than 100 acts, mostly singers, musicians and comedians, to U.S. military bases from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to South Korea.

"Primarily we deal with regional bands, young acts, comedians that haven't gotten national exposure," said Capt. Jesse Davidson of the U.S. Marine Corps, who is circuit manager for AFE's Southwest Asia tour. "Sometimes it feels a little bit like 'American Idol.' We have a lot of groups that are very eager, and we have to thin out the applicants."

When performers are selected, they agree to volunteer their time. In exchange, they get free travel and a $150-a-day stipend to cover food and lodging. Performers can -- and sometimes are required to -- stay on the military bases where they perform, eating and sleeping for free. It's one way artists are able to bank a little money to pay the bills when they get home to their regularly scheduled lives.

A band that sounds good and wins over the crowds might get invited back, Davidson said.

Its most recent tour was perhaps the most challenging for the Jenny Boyle Band, encompassing 13 shows in six countries, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain among them. "It was particularly nerve-racking when Jenny would say things like, 'Don't worry about us; we've been issued body armor,' " recalled the singer's mother, Betsy Boyle. "Truthfully, I think it was scary for them, too."

Boyle left on Oct. 21. The invitation to travel was last minute, just three weeks before the departure date, and Boyle called a longtime band mate, bassist Jeff Reed, to help gather an ensemble of young musicians who would be willing to back her up on the road. Her employer allows her to take time off without pay to do the tours.

"I was more nervous about the whole thing this time," Boyle recalled. "And it was harder to put together a group. What do you say? 'Hey, you want to go to Afghanistan?' "

From an early age, Boyle knew she wanted to perform, but some of the most likely opportunities, such as the seventh-grade choir, were closed to her. Her voice, the choirmaster explained, just didn't blend in with the group.

So she did school productions and participated in community theater. At 16, she persuaded her mother to accompany her to an open mike night at a bar in Fairfax City.

Boyle has been performing in local bars ever since, much to the disdain of one classical voice coach, who dropped her for risking her vocal cords during three-hour acoustic sets in smoky rooms.

In 2001, she auditioned for a new television show called "American Idol." Radio station DC-101 hosted auditions in Wheaton, and Boyle was one of 10 singers invited to New York to perform for the show's producers. They were not blown away.

Soon after, Boyle sent a tape to the USO, which directed her to Armed Forces Entertainment. After three months, AFE responded with a letter saying she'd been accepted into the program. It would be nearly two years before Boyle was given a tour schedule that in March 2004 would take her and her band to Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.

"I was naive," Boyle recalled. "I wasn't sure what was going on in the world. I just knew I wanted to see it." The trip was an unqualified eye-opener.

"When we arrived in the Cairo airport, there were people with guns," Boyle recalled. "There was chaos all around. It was a total shocker. Here I was from Springfield having never seen what's outside my little world."

Boyle still hasn't seen the West Coast of the United States, but she's traveled much of the globe, visiting an orphanage in Djibouti, where she thought hard about adopting a child, and taking the stage in Qatar in front of 2,000 people to belt out her brand of classic-rock cover tunes.

Over time, she's grown accustomed to hearing the heartbreaking stories of war, and today she talks breezily about the roar of land mines detonating outside the base in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

When it's considered too dangerous, she and the band keep to their hotel rooms, as they did in Kuwait, where officials advised them to stay off the streets.

Since she's been home, Boyle has been recording tracks for a CD she hopes to shop around next month. Maybe, she said, Starbucks will carry it.

Curled up in a stuffed chair in her apartment last week, she talked about the role she said she's honored to be playing overseas -- part entertainer, part goodwill ambassador, part morale booster.

She gets dozens of e-mails after each tour, mostly from men who want to thank her for coming such a long way.

"It's impossible to describe the contrast between the situations we are sometimes placed in, to just sitting back and enjoying a great show like a regular Joe," wrote a captain from the Royal Netherlands Air Force who posted a note on her Web site this month. "It's exactly that feeling that's sometimes needed to put things into perspective so we can continue on, and that's what you delivered."

Boyle said the praise is unnecessary. "You guys are the ones fighting the war," Boyle tells them. "I'm getting to do what I love, and I get to see the world."

- Washington Post

A group of Washington-area musicians put their personal lives on hold and took leaves of absence from their jobs to go overseas and cheer up U.S. troops.

Jenny Boyle, a 26-year-old Springfield resident, and her band returned Thursday from a 21-day tour that was part of the Department of Defense's Armed Forces Entertainment program. The Jenny Boyle band played popular rock and country songs for troops in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, Afghanistan, Qatar and Bahrain.

Boyle said she's glad to be home, but she wishes they'd had more time with the soldiers. "This is the first tour I really felt like they needed the entertainment. These places were a t more remote than the other places we've been to," she said.

The five-member band - composed of Boyle, who is the lead singer; drummer Mike Kuhl, 28, of Baltimore; bass guitarist Jeff Reed, 27, of Baltimore; guitarist Jesse Daumit, 30, of the District; guitarist/saxophonist Russell Kirk, 25, of Baltimore; and tour manager Gabe Gawen, 26, of Fairfax City - embarked on the musical journey last March.

Boyle said she applied for a tour with AFE shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She didn't hear back right away, but in March 2004, the band headed to Guam for its first tour. Capt. Jesse Davidson, AFE Southwest Asia circuit manager, said that "from listening to her music, we were pretty impressed with what she could do."

"The purpose is to bring a little bit of America to the troops that they can sing along to and remind them of home," Boyle said. And if her Web site is any indication, the soldiers seem appreciative. "You'll never know how much it meant to have you visit and bring a little joy to a bunch of guys stuck a long way from home," wrote a soldier who signed his name "Steve."

Rocking overseas -‚AFE sends about 130 celebrity and non-celebrity groups overseas each year. -The five-member Jenny Boyle Band, based in the Washington area, completed its fourth tour Thursday.

To learn more about the band, visit www.jennyboyle.net.
- By Erika Cotton Examiner Staff

When the Jenny Boyle Band played "Sweet Home Alabama" at North Camp, Egypt, the soldiers danced, sang along and acted like they were somewhere else. That was the purpose of the band's tour through bases in Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, as it played for military support personnel or soldiers on their way to or back from the war in Iraq.

The band's mission was simple: Entertain the troops, and help them forget for just a little bit. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" did just that. "For the tour, we'd play cover songs," Boyle said. "I'd go down and dance in the crowd." Gabe Gawen, the band's manager, had the mission in mind. "We'd play anything they can dance or sing along with. Hopefully, we'd take them back to another place, so they'd forget about where they are," Gawen said. When the band played James Brown's "Sex Machine," "Jenny was down dancing with a colonel," Gawen said. "Before and after the shows, we met as many as possible," he said.

The band landed in Cairo, Egypt, and traveled by bus to military establishments around Egypt and Jordan, and then Turkey, before returning to the United States on April 8. Although the bases they went to were away from the Iraqi battle zone, Boyle knew she wasn't near home when she saw policemen with AK-47s from the band's bullet-proof van.

In addition to being a performer, Boyle tried to comfort the soldiers. "I didn't really know what to expect," she said. "I spent more time looking at pictures of family and girlfriends. One guy was going to propose to his girlfriend when he got home."

WHEN THE BAND arrived at a place called "South Camp," which was occupied by a National Guard Unit out of Michigan, it encountered a sign of the current war: "weekend soldiers" who had been called up to serve. "There was a lot of middle-aged guys," Gawen said. By talking to them, Boyle could tell their lives were dominated by things other than the military. These soldiers were not "lifers," a military term for soldiers destined to stay until retirement. "These people had lives outside the military. They needed a hug the most," Boyle said.

BEING IN the Middle East, Boyle encountered a different attitude toward women to some extent. In one airport, she had to be searched and scanned with a metal detector in another area, separate from the men. On the streets in Cairo with no burka, a garment customarily worn by women in some Islamic nations, Boyle heard remarks. "Walking down the streets of Cairo, there were comments and people looking," she said.

Band members also saw some signs of political unrest, although they stayed close to U.S. military bases. Gawen did notice an airplane trip that took longer than it should have. "On our plane ride to Jordan, we flew around Israel," Gawen said.

While on the tour, band members focused on their music and avoided voicing opinions on the war or taking political stances, as the Dixie Chicks did in earlier performances. Their band did have a Dixie Chicks song on their play list. "We planned ahead of time and basically avoided playing that," Boyle said, sticking to the red, white and blue attitude. "They're our people over there. We had to support them regardless," she said.

Notes written by soldiers on the band's Web site: We have a lot of work to do and a big job ahead of us and when someone like you comes along and puts on an awesome show, it makes us feel better, and we can loosen up a little. I personally want to thank you for your talents and for sharing them with us and also for taking the time out from your busy schedule to play in front of soldiers like myself who really miss our families and know one day we will see them again. Not only are we serving our wonderful country, you are too. You're also a part of this peacekeeping mission, as are our wives who stay home and raise our children. So thank you very much, and I wish you all the best in your music career, and thank you for the hugs, I needed those. If you ever play in Michigan, and I'm home, you better believe I'll be there. Lots of Love, Joe Appreciate the Music! We loved you and your band at North Camp.

Thanks for playing the Neil Young tunes. I am on a one-year tour here. ..... If it were not for beautiful talented folks like you (and your band), it would be a very ... long ... year. Take care, and I wish you all the best. I'll be looking for your music in the years ahead. Sincerely, Andrew Jackson

Hey, Jenny and guys, It's Matt from the 125 in Egypt. Just wanted to send a thank-you out to you guys for doing an awesome job and boosting the morale of the guys here. Thanks for taking the time to remember the little guys. Well, gotta run, but good luck in the future, and thanks again. Matt Labo 125th Infantry South Camp Sinai, Egypt

- The Connection Newspapers By Mike Salmon Volume XVII

While a rough combat-style landing onto a dusty airstrip in Afghanistan was certainly hairy enough, local singer/songwriter Jenny Boyle said she and her band could have done without the bone-jarring landmine explosions and sporadic machinegun blasts.


“What's more scary is that you just get used to it,” she said wide-eyed of the arsenal, while looking back at her three-week, fever-pitched tour of mostly remote U.S. military outposts in the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa. Boyle, a regular performer at Kilroy's in Springfield, arrived home last Thursday. Is she ready to go back yet? You bet. She has already called the military asking to re-up. “I hope they send us out again soon,” she said.

This 26-year-old from Springfield, along with her band, just wrapped up performing rock, country and blues cover songs at stops in Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Djibouti and the war zone of Afghanistan as part of the Department of Defense's Armed Forces Entertainment program. For the past several years, Boyle has been a regular artist on the military jam circuit.

“She makes mom very proud,” said Betsy Boyle of her daughter's performances at military installations around the world. As proud as she is, she is more excited that her daughter just made it home in one piece this time. “That's the important thing".

Soon after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Boyle, singing in bands since she was a student at Lake Braddock Secondary School, sent in an audition packet to the military seeking to play for the troops. It took a couple years, but she finally received a call asking if she would be willing to pack up and fly out to Guam for a performance. “Of course I'm not going to say no. This is what I live for,” she said.

Boyle was hooked instantly on military touring. Since then, she has performed at installations in Cuba and many throughout the Middle East, South Asia and the Mediterranean region. “I've played bars most of my career, and I wanted to do something more rewarding. Not that I don't enjoy playing in bars,” she said.

This latest tour, which she learned of three weeks before flying out, was the closest Boyle and her band have gotten to the war on terrorism's front lines. “All of a sudden they take this nosedive toward the landing strip,” recalled Jeff Reed, 27, Boyle's bass player, about the group's spiraling approach into Afghanistan. “That was pretty hairy.” Despite the stomach-turning ride, Reed, from Maryland and the only one in Boyle's band to accompany her on all her overseas tours, is not about to give up his spot for the comforts of staying home. “It's a long time to be away, but I would go again,” he said.

Boyle, who recently completed her studies at George Mason University to become a nurse, said overseas she is a bit of a celebrity. During this latest tour, her concerts attracted hundreds of fans per show, many showering her with gifts (unit coins, combat bracelets and, on one occasion, a rose plucked somewhere from the desert) and waiting in long lines for an autograph, she said. “I was surprised how well behaved they were,” she said. Quite a contrast to her local gigs where she is usually straining to be heard over clanging beer mugs and muffled conversations. “I definitely hope it doesn't end anytime soon,” she said of her singing career. “I hope it goes on forever.”

To learn more about Boyle's tour and her forthcoming first album due out the end of this year, see http://www.jennyboyle.net

©Times Community Newspapers 2005

- Times Newspaper, By Jason Jacks