Luke Stricklin

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For a young man, Luke Stricklin has seen quite a lot. A small town kid from Arkansas who gave 12 months to the streets of Baghdad, Stricklin has lived a lifetime in just under 23 years. And that dichotomy is one of several that not only defines an emerging country artist, but infuses his debut album with unexpected meaning. The story of "American By God's Amazing Grace" has been told on news outlets ranging from CNN and Fox News to Newsweek and The Today Show. First recorded through a $10 microphone on a laptop in the heart of the Iraqi capital, the song bounced to country stations nationwide via email and strong word-of-mouth buzz. Within days of his return stateside, the soldier who co-wrote and recorded it was performing for crowds and signing a record contract. But beneath that feel-good-story-of-the-moment is the subtle yet startling duality of the song itself. Title aside, it's no simple-minded polemic or rally anthem. An affirmation to be sure, but one sung from the reluctant perspective of someone who's lived the unspeakable. Described by the Village Voice as "a howl from the cement bunker, lined by just a hint of confusion and insecurity," the track book ends the album with an almost haunted honesty. "I saw my fair share of death," Stricklin says of his time overseas. "More than I'd liked to have seen. But the hardest part is knowing your loved ones are at home worrying about you. I'd been over there several months and every time I called home my family or my wife

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