Craig Morgan served 17 years in the United States Army and the Army Reserves. The 56-year-old has still maintained his commitment to those who serve, performing 16 trips overseas to perform for the troops. Morgan’s efforts earned him both the USO Merit Award in 2006, and the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in 2018.

In advance of Memorial Day weekend, Morgan penned an open letter, via Sounds Like Nashville, about the significance of the holiday.

“Memorial Day, for most people it’s simply a long weekend, a day we cookout, go to the lake, and hang out with friends,” Morgan begins. “When it started, in the years following the Civil War, it was known as Decoration Day, but with the passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971 it became known as Memorial Day. The gravity of this day cannot be overstated. It is a truly American holiday honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military.

“This year I urge all of us to keep in mind one of the most important things about Memorial Day… Remember that the sacrifice of those we are honoring is the very thing that has given us the freedom to celebrate any way we want, or not at all,” the Grand Ole Opry member continues. “Have fun on Memorial Day cooking out, hanging with your friends, going to a concert or a movie, but try to take a moment to remember those who served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice for your freedom and mine and for the privilege of enjoying Memorial Day and every day. God Bless the USA!”

Morgan had a No. 1 hit with “The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost” in 2019, written about the loss of his son, Jerry, who passed away in 2016 in a drowning accident.

“It hurts. It’s the most difficult song I’ve ever written,” Morgan admitted on the Bobby Bones Show. “I wrote this by myself. I say that. I tell people God wrote this song; He just used me and the pen and paper I had in my hand. I cried for four hours when I wrote this song. Still to this day, it’s very difficult for me to sing. But I do it because I know; I don’t just believe it now –– God has shown me and I know. I’ve seen the emails, I’ve seen the Facebook messages, the tweets, the Instagram posts, what this song has meant to other people.

“When it gets played by someone, and it becomes the most downloaded song of all genres …” he continued. “When we were on Fox & Friends, when we were on the Today Show, Kelly Clarkson –– every time we did that, every time we did an appearance, that song became the most downloaded song of all genres. You know when that happens, it’s impacting people’s lives. And that’s why I do it. That’s why I sing through the pain.”

“The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost” is on Morgan’s latest album, God, Family, Country. The record is available for purchase at CraigMorgan.com.