Army veteran Scotty Hasting will perform at the Grand Ole Opry for the third time in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 11, 2025, to honor veterans and service members. He hopes to reach those who are struggling to find their purpose after military service. (opry.com)
After being shot 10 times during a combat deployment in Afghanistan in 2011, Scotty Hasting needed to find an escape and a new sense of purpose during his years of recovery.
Hasting, a Purple Heart recipient, served in the Army as an infantryman from October 2010 to January 2015 and medically retired as a sergeant. As he continued his recovery after leaving the service, he searched for ways to cope and heal from his PTSD, depression and anxiety — which eventually led him to music.
He picked up a guitar for the first time in 2020, when the world shut down because of COVID-19. Hasting quickly discovered that music helped give him focus, peace and a way to express his emotions.
His new passion for making music eventually led him to some of the biggest stages in country music.
Army veteran Scotty Hasting during a deployment in Afghanistan in 2011. (Scotty Hasting)
Army veteran Scotty Hasting holds his Purple Heart medal while in recovery. Hasting was shot 10 times during a combat deployment in Afghanistan in 2011. (Scotty Hasting)
On Veterans Day, Hasting will perform at the Grand Ole Opry for the third time in Nashville, Tenn., to honor veterans and service members, and hopes to reach those who are struggling to find their purpose after military service.
“I don’t care about money, I don’t care about fame,” Hasting said. “All I care about is that my music and my story gets to people who need to hear it. That’s all that matters.”
The Grand Ole Opry: Opry 100 will go live at 7 p.m., at the Opry House and will be recorded to audiences worldwide through WSM Radio, Sirius XM and Circle Country.
Hasting will be sharing the stage with other reputable artists including Gary Sinise & The Lt. Dan Band, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, (Marine Corps veteran) Jamey Johnson, (Army reservist) Craig Morgan and James Taylor. For him, the performance is not just about the music — it’s a chance to inspire and give hope to others.
“You don’t have to be defined by the bad things that happen to you, but by what you do with them,” Hasting said. “I never thought in a million years I’d be playing on the biggest stage in country music. If I can do this, anyone can do anything.”
Army veteran Scotty Hasting will perform at the Grand Ole Opry for the third time in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 11, 2025 to honor veterans and service members. He hopes to reach those who are struggling to find their purpose after military service. (Scotty Hasting)
Not only will he perform some of his own songs, including “Scars,” “I’m America,” and “How Do You Choose,” but he will also play a special tribute for his father, who died in June, with a song he co-wrote with his girlfriend, singer-songwriter McCall Chapin, inspired by his father’s voicemails.
“It’s gonna be an incredibly emotional day,” Hasting said. “It’s the first time that I’m back at the Grand Ole Opry since my dad passed away. It was his favorite place in the whole world.”
Hasting has opened for artists including Lee Brice, Dave Grohl, Jelly Roll, Craig Morgan and Tanya Tucker. Earlier this year, he performed on national television for The National Memorial Day Concert and the National Memorial Day Parade, and in 2024 he represented the U.S. in Normandy during the 80th anniversary D-Day commemorations.
He also partners with veterans organizations such as the PenFed Foundation, CreatiVets, Guitars 4 Vets and Operation Encore, continuing his mission of supporting the well-being of service members, past and present.
“If you’re struggling, just keep moving forward,” Hasting said. “Find something you love, do it every day, and see where it takes you. That’s what music did for me, and I hope people feel that same sense of hope when I’m up there.”
