Friday Music

This singer songwriter was an American soldier who served as a Green Beret medic in Vietnam. 

Released as a single by RCA Victor Records in 1966 more than nine million copies of the song were sold and it remained on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. I remember the artist’s appearance on the Ed Sullivan show and am one of the purchasers of the 45 single. 

He never achieved much in the way of commercial music success and after scoring a handful of supporting roles in some western-themed television series he found his niche writing and publishing pulp fiction novels. 

After dodging a prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter he found his way to Guatemala to continue writing and administer free medical care to rural villagers. In 1984 he suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Whether it was accidental, self-inflicted or a criminal attempt on his life is the subject of dispute. The publisher of Soldier of Fortune magazine arranged for his return stateside for treatment in a VA hospital.  A quadriplegic he never recovered completely and died at age 49. 

He served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1962 and the Army from 1962 to 1967. 

Ballad of the Green Berets – Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler…...