ARLINGTON, Va., March 29, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the eve of his forthcoming album, rising superstar Cole Swindell has teamed up with the USO to honor America's service members and celebrate the organization's 75th anniversary. With plans to embark on a USO tour in 2016, the singer/songwriter is asking fans to visit coleswindell.com and gift a digital copy of his brand new album "You Should Be Here" to an active duty service member from March 29th through May 31st. All copies will be distributed to military personnel by the USO in May, which is also National Military Appreciation Month. Swindell is also donating $1 from every new album gifted via his official store directly to the USO, to help further its mission to strengthen America's service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country throughout their military service. To view a special personalized message from Swindell, click here.
"My song 'You Should Be Here' was written about missing a loved one and wishing they could be there with you to experience milestones and make memories," Swindell said. "No one knows the feeling of missing a loved one better than the men and women of our military and their families. And no one knows our service members and their loved ones better than the USO. They've been serving our nation's military community for more than seven and a half decades, and it's an honor to stand in support of them today."
In an effort to help the USO bring the 99% of Americans closer to the 1% who serve, the Georgia native is also lending his support to the USO's Campaign to Connect – a new digital message platform designed to show appreciation to those who serve. Throughout the year, Swindell is urging fans to help the USO send 1 million messages of support to our military members and their families by publishing personalized messages online using his unique URL, http://bit.ly/1QmyDKn.
"The USO is sincerely grateful to Mr. Swindell for his outpouring of support," said Juliet Gilliam, USO vice president of entertainment partnerships and talent relations. "With his help and generous contribution, the USO will provide an opportunity for many service members and military families around the world to feel more connected to family, home and country this year. As we near Military Appreciation Month, we look forward to working together more closely with Cole and continuing to create an even greater impact throughout the year."
No stranger to the military, the country star's late father, Keith Swindell, was an Air Force Sergeant and his fraternity brother and friend, Kyle Davis, served five tours in Afghanistan with the Special Forces. Swindell's first public nod to military came in March 2015, with the release of his Billboard hit "Ain't Worth the Whiskey." The song not only paid tribute to those who serve our nation overseas but also featured Davis and former members of his military unit.
Reigning ACM New Artist of the Year Cole Swindell released his latest single "You Should Be Here" on December 14th. The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in just 15 weeks since its debut, making it his fastest rising single to date. Co-written by Swindell and Ashley Gorley, the song has been streamed over 20 million times and sold over 402,000 copies. The track is the first single off Swindell's upcoming album, which is scheduled for release on May 6 on Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville.
About the USO
The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.
In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: AT &T, the BNSF Railway Foundation, Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, FedEx, Johnson & Johnson, Kroger, NFL and Four-Star Partners: Advisors Excel, BIC, ConAgra Foods, GEICO, JCPenney, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, TKS and the Wawa Foundation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=39630
