Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Moon.
Hi Jason, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m Jason Moon, a songwriter, author, Iraq War veteran, and the founder of Warrior Songs. I grew up in Wisconsin, earned my undergraduate degree in Oshkosh, and deployed from Oshkosh. I now live in Mesa, Arizona.
After returning from Iraq, songwriting helped me express experiences that were difficult to explain in conversation. My album Trying to Find My Way Home grew out of that period. Other veterans recognized parts of their own lives in those songs, and those connections helped shape the work I wanted to do.
I founded Warrior Songs in 2011 to help veterans through music and the creative arts. Our Story to Song process begins with a veteran sharing an experience. A songwriter listens and works with that testimony to create a song, with the veteran involved in how their story is represented. Musicians and producers then help bring that song to life.
My main commitment now is completing BIPOC Veterans: Warrior Songs Vol. 4, which centers the firsthand experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other veterans of color. It is our final Story to Song volume, and I want to finish it with the care that the participating veterans, songwriters, and musicians deserve.
I’m also transitioning out of the executive director role. Health issues have led me to tour less, so I’m putting more time into writing books, including my memoir, while continuing select performances. Music remains part of my life; I’m finding a pace that allows me to keep creating and connecting with people while taking care of my health.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. Coming home from Iraq and living with the effects of trauma changed my relationship with music and with everyday life. More recently, health challenges have made it necessary to reduce touring and reconsider how much I can take on.
Running a nonprofit also means balancing the creative work with fundraising, administration, and the responsibility of following through for the people who have trusted you. With Warrior Songs, that trust is personal. A veteran’s story deserves care throughout the writing and recording process.
The challenge now is finding a sustainable way forward: completing Volume 4, transitioning out of the executive director role, and giving more time to books and select performances. I am learning to make room for my health while still doing work that matters to me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a songwriter and performer whose work often explores military experience, trauma, belonging, and finding a way forward. I also write books, including a memoir in progress.
Through Warrior Songs, I have worked with veterans, songwriters, musicians, and producers to turn firsthand experiences into professionally recorded songs. What matters most to me is the listening behind the music. The veteran has a say in how their experience is represented, and the song needs to honor the person who shared it. We have also made the Warrior Songs compilation albums available free to veterans.
The project I most want people to know about is BIPOC Veterans: Warrior Songs Vol. 4. It brings together stories from Black, Indigenous, and other veterans of color, with the individual voices and experiences of those veterans at its center. I’m proud of the trust and collaboration that make this work possible.
I’ve also helped co-found Arizona Warriors Assembly, another part of my work with veteran communities.
As I transition out of Warrior Songs’ executive director role, my focus is on finishing Volume 4 well, writing books, and continuing select performances. Health issues mean less touring, but I still want to share songs and stories in ways that create understanding and connection. People can explore my music and performances at jasonmoon.org and learn about Volume 4 at warriorsongs.org.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Text-to-speech tools are especially useful to me. Listening to my writing helps me review it, hear where something needs work, and keep returning to a project.
I also use ChatGPT to help organize information, break a large task into smaller steps, and keep track of where I left off. Because disability can affect my memory and attention, that kind of practical support makes a difference. I already use these tools extensively; access and affordability matter because they help me stay engaged with the work I love.
The tools support the process. The experiences, creative decisions, and responsibility for what I share remain mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jasonmoon.org
- Other: https://www.warriorsongs.org
