NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) – Black River Records officially announces the signing of the label’s newest artist, Scotty Hasting. The songwriter, artist, and US Army veteran is gearing up to make his mark in country music with label debut track “How Do You Choose” slated for a November 3 release on Black River.
Despite only picking up a guitar for the first time in 2020, Hasting’s passion for music and desire to help others who struggle with their mental health is undeniable. Strapping a guitar pick to his right thumb and with the aid of YouTube, the former Army Infantryman with the 1st Infantry Division 4th Squadron – 4th Calvary taught himself to play guitar while having no feeling in his right hand due to severe nerve damage resulting from 10 nearly fatal gunshot wounds from his time spent serving in Afghanistan.
In classic Nashville fashion, a chance encounter with the entertainment company’s CEO and President Gordon Kerr’s son brought the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky native into the sights of the independent label. Hasting immediately caught the attention of renowned hit songwriter, producer, and Black River’s Vice President of A&R Doug Johnson, who took the promising country artist under his wing.
“I don’t think that thank you is enough. I’ve been through a lot. Black River has welcomed me and become family,” says Hasting. “Thank you to Black River for giving me a new purpose, for giving people like me — veterans, people with disabilities, people who are at the end of their line — an opportunity and a reason to wake up tomorrow. Thank you for giving me a voice and letting other veterans hear a story like this that can change their whole lives.”
Hasting quickly became enraptured with the escape he found from his PTSD when performing on stage and knew that even if his music career didn’t take off, he had to chase that newly discovered peace.
The upcoming release, co-written by Hasting with Jesse Wayne Taylor in association with CreatiVets — a nonprofit that the budding singer is heavily involved with — Hasting’s label debut “How Do You Choose” is produced by Black River’s Johnson.
Hasting confesses that although he is a Purple Heart recipient, writing “How Do You Choose” following a conversation with his late best friend’s (Adam Hamilton) mother was “one of the scariest things I have ever had to do because it made it real.” It was also one of the hardest songs for Hasting to write, as it is his “survivor’s guilt put into words.”
“How Do You Choose” details his first visit to Adam’s tombstone, whose death followed about one month after an ambush that left Hasting fighting for his life flying out of Afghanistan on a medivac after being shot ten times in April of 2011.
With lines like, “Damn, it could have been me” pouring out of Hasting, this track is not only Hasting’s survivor’s guilt put into words, but is also his white flag, flying high to let us all know they are not alone in their anguish. Now on a mission to help anyone struggling with loss or their mental health find solace through his music, “How Do You Choose” sets the tone for Hasting’s promising future in country music.
“I know you’ll change somebody’s world,” said Johnson during Hasting’s official signing. “I’m a big fan, and your friendship means the world to me. Everybody here believes in you, your music, your heart, and your spirit. We are honored. Thank you for trusting us.”
Kerr expresses his enthusiasm for the label’s newest addition, stating, “It is with great pleasure that we come together and join Scotty’s team. We are so excited for the opportunities that await for the world to hear Scotty’s heart. Nothing takes place by coincidence — that’s what today represents.”
