Joshua Romaker has a heart for music and a head for business. His soul is with the military. The former Pemberville-area resident is combining all of his passions into a live concert benefit with proceeds going toward a group that helps families of soldiers killed in service.
Romaker, a sergeant 1st class, is assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and based in Fort Campbell, Ky. He started Champion Records as a way to showcase military recordings to the rest of the world. "With deployments, I kind of found that a lot of guys take the guitars out to relieve them of stress. There's some really, really talented musicians." But, he said, the mainstream record labels "won't touch them," many times because of contractual obligations with military. "I kind of took the bull by the horns, got back home and started one up."
Soldiers and citizens can go to the Champion Records Web site and upload music or download their own. "It just kind of snowballed from there. I want to get the word out about the military musicians and how talented they are."
Romaker invites people to "listen to our words through songs and what's really going on, with no political affiliation." Two of Champion's artists, Forced Entry and James Corbin and the Dirt Poor Authority, are headlining the Aug. 14 benefit concert in Clarksville, Tenn. Corbin, Romaker said, is a great example of the military music that he loves to promote. He'll sing about how lonely Christmas is in Iraq - and how much he misses his truck.
The live concert benefit was born out of tragedy, though, not laughs. "'Live on the Lawn' came about because I've had three really good friends die over in Iraq from IEDs (improvised explosive device)." Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Tully of Falls Creek, Pa., and Sgt. 1st Class Adrian M. Elizalde of North Bend, Ind., were killed Aug. 23, 2007. Pfc. Michael Pittman, out of Fort Riley, Kan., died last month.
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Romaker said the Special Operations Warrior Foundation immediately stepped in to help. "They were right there. They were the second ones at the door willing to help and supporting the families as much as they could," he said. "This is our way of a giving back to the foundation and getting the word out about military musicians. And in the process have a good time and raise some money for a good cause." In honor of Tully and Elizalde, Romaker wants to present a check to the foundation from the concert before the Aug. 23 anniversary of their deaths.
Romaker tinkered with the guitar some in high school, but didn't really pick it up in earnest until he joined the Army. Strumming the guitar and writing songs is a great stress reliever, he said. "I guess I picked up the music thing from dad in BG. He was in a band growing up." Norm Romaker played the drums for 20th Century Fox. They traveled the country in the 1960s, competing in a "battle of the bands" show in Florida. They lost out on the top title to a "little band" named Lynryd Skynyrd.
Romaker was born and raised in the Pemberville area and went to Eastwood until high school when he moved to Vandalia with his mom. His dad, Norm, still lives here and runs Norm's TV and Electronics. He also has grandparents in the area, Norm and Mary Johnson of Bowling Green and Kathleen Romaker in Pemberville. The 33-year-old has been married to his high school sweetheart, Jaime, for 10 years. They have two girls, Isabella and Sophia. The family was back in the area for the Fourth of July holiday, camping near Portage.
Romaker said he'd love to have some Ohio representation at "Live on the Lawn," but knows it's a bit of a trip. He did invite singer Andrea Martin of Vandalia to perform the National Anthem.
To donate to the Warrior Foundation, visit the championrecords.com Web site and click on the PayPal icon. There is also more information there on the performers.
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