Former Columbia songwriter Jenny Teator honors grandfather with Veterans Day single

Aarik Danielsen, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
Jenny Teator
Jenny Teator

An acoustic guitar tenderly ambles, and Jenny Teator addresses a historic love.

"Dear Shirley, it’s early on a Friday / The eastern sun is rising and the crew is all asleep," the former Columbia songwriter sings in a voice that's both her own and contains echoes of her grandfather.

These lines open "Screaming Eagles," Teator's new single, arriving Friday in time for Veterans Day. Paul Byron Teator, her late grandfather, served in the Army's 101st Airborne Division, or "Screaming Eagles." In World War II, that unit made history, significantly aiding Allied success in the Battle of Normandy.

"Screaming Eagles" draws from Paul Byron Teator's letters, which traveled home to his wife, Shirley, as well as to his own father.

A St. Louis native, Teator honed her craft while living in Columbia. Her band, Jenny Teator and the Fevers, produced hot-blooded songs at the intersection of rock, pop and soul.

Since her musical migration to Nashville six years ago, Teator's sound has evolved by degrees; she defines her current work as "rhinestone rock" — "a sound that embraces the timeless glamor of rhinestones in country while embodying the raw authenticity of rock and roll," according to a news release.

"Screaming Eagles" precedes a debut full-length slated for next fall, and contains trace elements of that sound while unfolding as a heartfelt ballad.

Teator's melodic reading fulfills the song's intent, and lends a natural motion to the chorus, recreating the Screaming Eagles' fateful descent through the atmosphere in notes and rhythms.

Paul Byron Teator, Jenny Teator's grandfather, was a member of the 101st Airborne Division or "Screaming Eagles"
Paul Byron Teator, Jenny Teator's grandfather, was a member of the 101st Airborne Division or "Screaming Eagles"

"Screaming eagles, American heroes," Teator sings with a bold yet quiet command, Nashville grace notes ending each phrase. "Droppin from the sky / middle of the night / right into the fire."

The song ends with a promise, from Paul to Shirley, of his safe return. That journey home is a key, unlocking Teator's heritage and the reverence which guides the song along its own gliding path.

Teator has shared the song with current military, singing for soldiers and their spouses at the 80th Anniversary of the 101st Airborne Military Ball this spring; she also performed "Screaming Eagles" at the Change of Command ceremony at Kentucky's Fort Campbell, the news release noted.

After "Screaming Eagles" lands in a different way Friday, Teator will delve further into her family history with a lyric video and short documentary, featuring recollections from her father and uncle, out next month.

You can hear "Screaming Eagles" anywhere you stream music starting Friday, and keep up with Teator's work at https://www.jennyteator.com/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Songwriter Jenny Teator honors grandfather with this Veterans Day song