Healing through the power of sharing experiences, songwriting, and music creation.
To help those in need of healing through the power of music.
In 2019, David St. Romain, a music artist turned community advocate, created Songs of Survivors to help military veterans heal through songwriting workshops. Within a year of conducting its first workshop, Songs of Survivors became a nonprofit with funding from individual donors, Louisiana Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, and Olin Corporation. David established partnerships with various veteran-serving organizations throughout Louisiana, including The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs and The Veterans Administration. Veterans can now participate in workshops throughout the year in different cities across the state.
David St Romain is the founder and executive director of Songs of Survivors, a nonprofit organization located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that is dedicated to helping veterans heal through the power of music. David served eight years in the Louisiana Army National Guard and has spent more than 30 years in the music industry. In 2007, he placed third on USA Network’s Nashville Star out of thousands of contestants and spent the next several years touring the United States. David has more than 10,000 performances under his belt and has released more than 100 recordings. He has written songs with the best songwriters in the music industry, including Randy Owen of Alabama and Dan Tyler, a Nashville songwriter and producer who has numerous number one hits in his catalog.
David began to experience the most fulfilling period of his life when he decided to combine his love of the military with his love of music. Through his philanthropic work with veterans, David has been able to bring the healing aspect of music to those who have experienced PTSD and other traumas as a result of their service. He also works with numerous organizations to connect those in need with those who can help. David is a featured inspirational speaker at conferences and events and on radio and television shows.
David was recently honored with the Roddy Richard Life Achievement Award from Louisiana Youth Seminar. He is also a graduate of Leadership Louisiana’s class of 2022.
Susan Mustafa is a New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle bestselling author, as well as an award-winning investigative journalist. Her books have been translated and published in nine languages. She had been prominently featured in several docuseries and numerous television programs that have aired on FX, A&E, Hulu, Discovery, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, Oxygen, and National Geographic. Susan is also an experienced public speaker.
Susan earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communication and journalism from Southeastern Louisiana University, where she won numerous awards for writing, including the Public Service in Journalism award.
Susan has always been dedicated to helping others, and she has a long history of writing about nonprofit organizations in an effort to bring attention to the good work they do. The Songs of Survivors mission to help veterans through the power of music is especially meaningful to her because her father and brother are retired veterans.
I remember the day in 2018 when David and I had lunch and he told me about his idea for Songs of Survivors. He spoke with such passion and joy as he explained his vision and calling to help those who have suffered the same pain as he has. I knew from that moment that I wanted to do whatever I could to help that vision become a reality. To know the difference David is making in people's lives through the power of music is amazing, and I’m very proud and honored to serve on this board.
Growing up around family members that were in the Armed Services gave me an insight into the demanding and often unforgiving lifestyles that veterans of our armed forces are faced with. Throughout my fourth, fifth, and sixth grade years of elementary school I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii (Schofield Barracks) and Fayetteville, North Carolina (Fort Bragg) with my mother and then stepfather who served in the Army. As I reflect on my time there and seeing the mission that Songs of Survivors stands for, I feel not only a sense of obligation, but also a sense of responsibility to serve on this board and help maximize its mission's outcome.
As a Navy veteran, I am deeply committed to supporting those who have served our country. My time in the military equipped me with invaluable skills that have been instrumental in both my life and career. However, many veterans face challenges and hardships that I was fortunate enough to avoid. It is our duty to come together and provide assistance to veterans in need. I believe in the power of music as a means of emotional expression and healing, and I am honored to be part of an organization that utilizes this approach. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to Songs of Survivors and help it grow even further.
As the daughter of a Navy Veteran and the mother of a Marine Veteran, I have always felt a deep calling to support those who have served our country. I believe strongly in the mission and vision of this organization and want to play a role in helping it grow even stronger. After meeting David and witnessing the dedication, compassion, and genuine commitment of everyone involved, I knew that this was a team I wanted to be part of.
I am a United States Marine Corps veteran and lifelong advocate for those who have served our country. I currently serve as a Commissioner for the La. Dept. of Veterans Affairs and as Chair of the local Mayor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs. Throughout my career in public service, I have worked to create meaningful ways for veterans to be recognized, connected, and supported within their communities. I have developed and supported initiatives that bring veterans, military organizations, community leaders, and the public together-from honoring veterans through community recognition programs to creating opportunities for veterans to share their stories and experiences. For me, service did not end when I left the Marine Corps. It simply took on a different form. I believe that veterans need more than recognition for their service-they need connection, purpose, and opportunities to know that their stories still matter.
I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors of Songs of Survivors because I believe deeply in its mission. As a veteran, I understand the power of camaraderie and the importance of having a safe place to share experiences. I am particularly inspired by the organization's use of music and storytelling to help veterans reframe their experiences and create something lasting for themselves, their families, and their communities.
“Every veteran has a story worth hearing. Sometimes, we just need to create the space for them to tell it.”
I am the daughter of a Marine veteran whose legacy of service continues to influence my commitment to community and others. A passionate advocate for the arts, I believe deeply in the power of music and writing as meaningful forms of expression that can inspire, connect, and transform lives. I have always been particularly inspired by music's ability to provide a voice to experiences, foster connection, and support healing. I strive to be a thoughtful strategist with a strong commitment to effective policy and community leadership, and I hope to bring a purposeful and collaborative perspective to my work with Songs of Survivors. I am committed to serving others, which is why I serve as a director on several boards and work with with organizations throughout the Baton Rouge area. My goal with Songs of Survivors is to contribute my time and expertise to making a meaningful difference in the lives of military veterans.
One of the greatest gifts mankind has given themselves is music. It is such a powerful tool. Everyone likes music in some way. We don't all have the opportunity to learn how it is made, so to just sit down and listen to a professional walk you through the process of how a song is developed really makes the songs on the radio sound different. So I would encourage any of my battle buddies to come and check it out; they are going to find something very fulfilling in these workshops.
It was the military that led Louisiana native Mike Dean to discover the sound that would ultimately become his passion. A singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Mike joined the Army National Guard in 1996, and, after basic training, he was sent to Fort Hood in the Texas Hill Country for further training. There, he encountered something unlike the classic country and rock and roll he had grown up enjoying with his father and brothers. He heard a raw, honest, organic sound rooted in the art of storytelling. Texas country spoke to something in Mike, and the storyteller in him was immediately drawn to it.
After six years of military service, Mike went to work in the oilfields, all the while pursuing what came naturally—telling stories through the songs he wrote. His first release, “7 & 7,” a song about the seven-days-on, seven-days-off life of working in the oilfield, garnered more than half a million views across music platforms and established Mike as a bona fide songwriter. Six albums later, Mike still travels the country sharing those stories through a voice that is smooth as honey with just enough rasp and depth to make every word feel lived in.
While music is his passion, Mike has always had another calling—helping people. That calling led him to become a firefighter in Lafayette. Service to others comes naturally to Mike. He learned it as a soldier and has carried that mission with him throughout his life as a firefighter, songwriter, and musician. Now, through his work with Songs of Survivors, Mike has the opportunity to serve veterans in another deeply personal way—by helping them tell their own stories through song. For a man whose life has been defined by service, sacrifice, and storytelling, it’s a remarkable full circle.
Our workshops are Handicap accessible
PHONE:
(225) 443-9330
ADDRESS:
7809 Jefferson Hwy. Suite E2
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
EIN: 84-3289456
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