On Veterans Day, November 11, 2026, Truth Trench Think Tank, the nonprofit founded by Michael J. Penney, presented Red, White & Bluegrass at the Jack Wilcox Theater at PARC in Plymouth, Michigan. The theme was “Celebrating Our Nation, Honoring Our Heroes.” There were two shows, at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM, plus a livestream for viewers across the country.
On stage
- The Edgar Loudermilk Band headlined both shows. Loudermilk records for Pinecastle Records, was named SPBGMA Bass Fiddle Performer of the Year in 2023 and 2024, and was inducted into the Georgia Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024.
- Lily Alattar opened with the national anthem, sang “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America,” and joined the band for several songs, including Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”
- Sandy Point was the special opening guest.
- Quilts of Valor made a presentation.
Congressman Jack Bergman (Lt. Gen., USMC, Ret.) sent a video thank-you to everyone who attended and to the Elks. The concert was hosted alongside the Plymouth–Ann Arbor Elks Lodge #325.
Why bluegrass, and why it matters
Truth Trench’s recap explained the choice of music: “It is the music a lot of veterans grew up on, and a lot of them came home to.”
The concert was also built to do more than say thank you. A percentage of proceeds went to Spark Nation and its developing continuum of care for veterans, which works to connect veterans with employers, veteran organizations and community resources. The event page put the idea simply:
Veterans should not have to navigate an endless maze of organizations alone.
Truth Trench, November 11, 2026
For Michael, a Marine veteran of three combat tours (Ramadi, Iraq, in 2005-06 and 2007, and Kajaki and Sangin, Afghanistan, in 2011), that has been the point of much of his work since leaving the Corps: helping veterans make the move home and into what comes next.
Thank you
Sponsors and supporters included Paralyzed Veterans of America (Michigan Chapter), Veterans BRG (a UPS Business Resource Group), Veteran’s Disability Claims Assistance, Everything Fraternal, Plymouth Rocks, Glover’s Heroes, Spark Nation and the City of Plymouth, with production partners FERAL Entertainment and Heroes Media Group.
The theater is at 650 Church Street in Plymouth.
This post is part of the From the Archive series, which collects Michael’s past media appearances in one place. See the full media archive.
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Marine veteran, TEDx speaker and author of the 5 Paragraph Business Plan. Bring him to your stage, wear the gear, or catch him live.