For more than three decades, the Fisher House Foundation has provided lodging for military families while their loved ones are in the hospital. Thanks to two country musicians, many of those facilities are now in possession of an unusual musical instrument. The Charleston Fisher House, located on Wentworth Street, recently received its very own red guitar. “The beautiful house with 16 rooms is the only Fisher House not on government property,” said Jim Thompson, an avid supporter of the Foundation and chair of the Isle of Palms Exchange Club’s Americanism Committee, which presented the guitar to the facility during a Dec. 14 ceremony. The Red Guitar Campaign was launched in 2017 when musicians Thom Shepherd and Coley McCabe visited a Fisher House in Hawaii. While they were there, Shepherd was asked to perform his hit song, “Riding with Private Malone,” which is about a soldier who passed away while fighting in the Vietnam War.
Shepherd didn’t have a guitar with him, and the duo decided that every Fisher House should have a one – in Shepherd’s signature color red. Music brings people together and helps them navigate through difficult times and “is part of the reason they have found value in this,” Thompson explained. “For the family member who plays the guitar, it is a stress reliever and brings joy to them and the people who hear them play. On the other hand, it is the connection to the song “Riding with Private Malone,” a very patriotic song and that is popular on military bases.” “What a great thing for the families to have at their disposal,” thought Steve and Tamara Bryant when they first learned about the campaign at a Shepherd and Coley music event. The couple, who married and moved to the Isle of Palms in 1986 “have always backed veteran causes.” Both their fathers served in the Air Force. On Dec. 8, Thompson spoke to the Isle of Palms Exchange Club about the Red Guitar Campaign and helped “bring [Steve and Tamara Bryant] the recognition they deserve.” Their red guitar has a clear message on its plaque, thanking veterans for their service. It was donated to the Fisher House during the Foundation’s Christmas Party, where local musician Ricky Myatt performed.
As of November 2022, 37 guitars have been donated to the Fisher House through the Red Guitar Campaign. Currently, the Foundation has a footprint in 37 states, the District of Columbia, Germany and England.
