Podcast Summary: "The Sound of Redemption: Scotty Hasting's Music Journey"

Podcast: takin' a walk
Host: Lynne Hoffman (guest-hosting)
Guest: Scotty Hasting
Release Date: August 20, 2025
Podcast Description: Buzz Knight's "takin' a walk" explores music history and the stories of musicians on their journeys.

Overview

In this episode of "takin' a walk," host Lynne Hoffman shares an in-depth conversation with rising country artist and Army veteran Scotty Hasting. Scotty, a Purple Heart recipient and survivor of being shot 10 times in Afghanistan, recounts his journey from trauma to healing—how music became his therapy, his new mission to support fellow veterans, and his evolution as a songwriter. The story is one of resilience, hope, and using personal pain to fuel purpose and connection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scotty’s Relationship with Music: Before and After Afghanistan

• Music as a Private Joy:
  • "Music was just for me...my happy place." (Scotty Hasting, 06:11)
  • Never saw music as a career, just something he did privately.
• Shift Post-Injury:
  • Music became therapeutic after his injury and PTSD diagnosis.
  • Picking up the guitar was an act of survival and coping.

2. Trauma, PTSD, and the Healing Power of Songwriting

• Surviving the Unthinkable:
  • Scotty was shot 10 times at close range while in Afghanistan (23:46).
  • Suffered significant loss of blood, near-death ("my eyesight shut down," 23:52).
  • Mysterious moment of comfort from an unidentified woman:
    • "I heard a lady bend down and say, hey, it's okay for you to let go...I found out a couple years later that there wasn't a woman in that room." (23:52-25:33)
• Songwriting as Therapy:
  • "For me, the demons of PTSD knock the loudest when it’s quiet, and when I have my guitar in my hands, I find peace." (Scotty, quoted by Lynne, 11:17)
  • Writing music helped process survivor's guilt and grief.
  • Early songs were “word vomit” (16:42)—a way to move emotions from inside to the page.

3. The Moment Music Became a Mission

• Finding Purpose through Performance:
  • First open mic during COVID:
    • "I played 'Should've Been a Cowboy'...the moment that I knew I wanted to do this forever, the stage truly became my sanctuary." (14:24)
    • Stage time replaced archery as his therapeutic focus: "I went from seven seconds at a time...to now three minutes at a time where nothing else in the world mattered." (14:24)
• Impact on Veterans:
  • Performing for veterans and receiving feedback showed him the power of his story:
    • "I realized I could help people with what I'm doing." (07:44)
    • Veteran responses: "They came up to me...talked about how I was giving them a voice when they didn't know what to say." (07:44)

4. Transformation, Advocacy, and Mission

• Learning to Live and Heal:
  • Ongoing challenges: "You never stop trying to heal...when you stop trying, that’s when the bad things win." (25:52)
  • Relearned writing left-handed after injuries; shared this rehabilitation with his son (26:30).
• Fighting Veteran Suicide and Mental Health Stigma:
  • "I've lost more people here [to suicide] than I ever did in Afghanistan, and that's awful. That shouldn't be that way." (27:57)
  • Mission: "If I can help one person decide to try tomorrow, I've done more in this industry than I could have ever imagined." (27:57)
• Broad Message:
  • "You don't have to be defined by the bad, but rather what you do with it." (28:43)

5. The Sanctuary of Performance

• Describing the Stage as Sanctuary:
  • "For someone with PTSD, depression, anxiety...it's hard to live in a moment...on the stage, I can truly live in a moment and just be there." (30:12)
  • The only other place is "on my motorcycle." (30:17)

6. Notable Stories & Listener Impact

• Saving a Life Through Music:
  • After performing "How Do You Choose?"—a song about survivor's guilt—a veteran approached him saying Scotty’s music made him reconsider suicide:
    • "I was going to this show [with Dave Grohl] because I wanted to see Dave Grohl before I killed myself...Listening to Scotty showed me there's so much more." (31:18)
    • Scotty: "That moment will forever live in my heart and soul." (32:47)

7. Major Career Milestones: Collaboration and Recognition

• Working with Country Legends:
  • "Till the Last Shots Fired" deeply impacted Scotty during his recovery; he later re-recorded the song with Lee Brice and Dolly Parton.
    • "That song changed my life...it grabbed me...I cried like a baby for two hours...and in those two hours, I made the decision I was going to live my life." (33:32)
    • On collaborating: "Let Dolly do whatever she wants. Why are you calling me?" (35:30)
• Success Redefined:
  • "Success to me is not wealth, it's not fame. Success is making one person decide they want to continue tomorrow." (36:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Music:

  • "Music saved me." (00:00, Scotty Hasting)

• On Starting Out:

  • "No one's shooting at me today, you know, so..." (10:49, Scotty)

• On Songwriting and Therapy:

  • "I was able to take all the things that were eating me alive and put them somewhere else." (16:42, Scotty)

• On Survivor’s Guilt:

  • "Survivor's guilt is there...it's always going to be there." (07:44, Scotty)

• On the Impact of Performance:

  • "The stage truly became my sanctuary." (14:24, Scotty)
  • "I live for every moment that I get to be on a stage." (30:17, Scotty)

• On Helping Others:

  • "If I can help one person decide to try tomorrow, I’ve done more in this industry than I could have ever imagined." (27:57, Scotty)

• On Collaboration with Dolly Parton:

  • "Let Dolly do whatever she wants…Why are you calling me?" (35:30, Scotty)
  • "A song that changed my life that I thought was perfect truly became perfect when I heard Dolly’s voice on it. It’s so angelic..." (35:32, Scotty)

• On Defining Success:

  • "Success to me is making one person decide that they want to continue tomorrow." (36:32, Scotty)

Important Timestamps

• 06:11 – Scotty shares his pre- and post-military relationship to music
• 07:44 – The role of songwriting in surviving trauma and helping others
• 11:17 – Discussing PTSD and picking up the guitar during the pandemic
• 14:24 – The first transformative performance on stage (open mic)
• 23:46 – Scotty details the day he was shot and his near-death experience
• 27:57 – On losing friends to suicide and his mission to help veterans
• 30:12 – The sanctuary of the stage and living in the moment
• 31:18 – Story of saving a fellow veteran’s life through music
• 33:32 – Recording "Till the Last Shots Fired" with Dolly Parton and Lee Brice
• 36:32 – Scotty's personal definition of success

Summary Table

| Topic | Key Insights / Quotes | Timestamps | |-------|----------------------|------------| | Music & Healing | "For me, the demons of PTSD knock the loudest when it’s quiet, and when I have my guitar in my hands, I find peace." | 11:17 | | Surviving Trauma | “I was shot 10 times in Afghanistan...my eyesight shut down.” | 23:46 | | Purpose & Mission | "If I can help one person decide to try tomorrow..." | 27:57 | | The Impact of Story | “I was going to this show...before I killed myself...Scotty showed me there's so much more.” | 31:18 | | Career Milestone | “Let Dolly do whatever she wants. Why are you calling me?” | 35:30 | | Defining Success | "Success to me is making one person decide that they want to continue tomorrow." | 36:32 |

Final Thoughts

Scotty Hasting's story is a powerful reminder of music’s ability to heal, to give voice to pain, and to create new purpose after trauma. The conversation is raw and authentic, full of moments of humor, hope, and hard-earned wisdom—making it essential listening for anyone seeking inspiration or coping with their own battles.