2024 Annual Report
Dear Readers, Fans, Viewers, and Customers:
Over the past year the impetus to set in stone has left its mark in many ways, and still the chisel drives on. The stated goal of etching five characters “First” before the word “Sergeant” into the headstone of Mingo Sanders at Arlington National Cemetery has not been completed; honor has not been restored to his record by the caretaker. To help achieve this I have sought to raise awareness of the onward struggle for civil rights and equality, and wrote his biography titled Buffalo Sergeant. Seeking assistance in publishing, I found none, and to keep the momentum going I self-published the book. To protect myself, my works, and to organize the project, a publishing company was created named Enlisted Records.
Today, Enlisted Records is a platform to the sell books and generate profit. Assuming that there may be considerable cost to replace or correct the headstone, this profit would help pay for it if the cemetery required it. As of today, Buffalo Sergeant has generated $615 towards this cause. Profits are also being generated through the sale of other books that I published and $15 have been donated to their cause.
The name Enlisted Records inspires many to think about the service of enlisted members of the military, and that is intentional. There is another face of Enlisted Records though, which inspires the thought of music. Creating music, recording it, and copyrighting it has long been a passion of mine. Selling it has not. The music industry has a different motive than it did years ago but is still exploiting musicians. So much has changed but at the cost entire generations of musicians whose music has been lost. I consider myself lucky to be able to continue making music today and preserve it. I offer it to whoever will hear. I know it’s not a familiar format, but you can play all of my music through this site. If you purchase it there will be a download link in the transaction for you to add the file to your music player.
You may not know it, but I am also a pilot, though I do not fly for the military. The last time I flew was during the US Solar Eclipse of 2024 using a quadcopter. Enlisted Records aerial video, that is we record for a price, or a good cause. During the eclipse, the first music video was shot by the company. It incorporated an autonomous orbit while I played guitar and sang the song “Glory Be” in a field east of Joint Base Andrews. The product can be seen on YouTube at this link https://youtu.be/yUOAR1F8zo4 . Contact me for inquiries about how we can safely, and legally, create memories of your events.
Lastly, let me put my foot in the door and say that it has been the slowest year ever for Combat Boot Clocks. Yes, these functional timekeepers are still for sale. A Combat Boot Clock is made from a servicemembers old boot and includes objects, awards, rank, and insignia strategically placed to denote the numbers of a clock. Just send me whatever details you can of the servicemember you want to commemorate, and I will give you a cost estimate. Usually, they range from $50-75, and shipping. It’s been a great first year for Enlisted Records, and well yes, last year for me in the military. Thank you for being a part of it!