Zac Brown Remains Committed to Meeting Veterans Before Every Show — Memorial Day Weekend Was No Exception

The country star has made a point to invite a US veteran onstage at every show, which is part of his ongoing initiative to raise awareness for wounded vets

For country star Zac Brown, founder and lead singer of the Zac Brown Band, there's no greater cause than raising awareness for U.S. Veterans.

Before each show he plays, Brown, 45, meets someone who has served for the country — and often tends to bring them onstage to honor them and hear their story. Memorial Day weekend was no exception. Before his Norfolk, VA, show at the Patriotic Festival on May 26, Brown met up with USMC Sgt. and Veteran Michael Henley.

Henley, a Floridian who enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from Florida State University in 2017, shared that he spent his his deployment with the 1st Radio Battalion at Camp Pendleton, and then went to the Philippines in 2022 in support of Special Operations Task Force 511.2. He told Brown that when his military service is up, he's aiming for a career in federal law enforcement.

Brown's tradition of meeting and honoring Veterans during his shows is part of the greater work he does with Vets. He also works closely with Hope for the Warriors, the nonprofit organization that provides assistance to combat-wounded service members and their families.

Related: Zac Brown Drops Pants After Performing New Single Inspired by Jimmy Buffett Called 'Pirates & Parrots'

Brown, a former camp counselor, is also the founder of Camp Southern Ground, a nonprofit that provides weeklong summer camps for kid aged 7-17 who come from military and Veteran families.

The camp, located in Fayeteville, GA, also provides Warrior family camps and Warrior Weeks that aim to give vets the tools to manage their post-service lives.

Brown, who shares five children with his ex-wife, jewelry designer Shelly Brown is in the process of embarking on a summer long North American tour.

The shows will continue to highlight and honor veterans.

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Meanwhile, Zac Brown Band member John Driskell Hopkins will also continue to raise awareness and funds to fight ALS — the neurodegenerative disorder he was diagnosed with in 2021.

Related: Zac Brown Band's John Driskell Hopkins on Keeping Strong amid ALS Diagnosis: 'I'm Ready to Fight This'

In 2021, Hopkins told PEOPLE that he and his wife Jennifer launched Hop On a Cure (hoponacure.org), a foundation dedicated to raising funds to find a cure for ALS.

“Our vision is clear,” Hopkins said. “We need to do everything we can to generate funds to cure ALS.”

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