Behind the Music: "The Deployment Song" by Emay Holmes

By Austin Rooney
Defense Media Activity
Jul 27, 2018
Jul 27, 2018
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Airman Maxwell "Emay" Holmes — Airman Maxwell Holmes'wrote and released "The Deployment Song" prior to his first deployment aboard the USS Nimitz. The song is about what sailors go through when saying goodbye to their loved ones to go to sea and accomplish their mission.
Defense Media Activity/All Hands magazine

Deep below the cold steel decks of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), sailors moving busily around the decks stop momentarily and listen to the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar, accompanied by a somber voice singing about life at sea.

Airman Maxwell "Emay" Holmes wrote and performed an original piece of music, "The Deployment Song," after returning from his first deployment aboard the USS Nimitz in December 2017.

Video by Austin Rooney | Defense Media Activity — Navy Production

"I never really thought I was that good at playing or singing," said Airman Maxwell "Emay" Holmes. "I thought my friends on the ship were just telling me that because they were my friends."

Although he considers himself shy, Holmes decided to sign up to sing and play guitar during deployment during the "Nimitz Idol" talent competition — and ended up winning first place.

When asked to describe his music, Holmes said it's hard for him to place it in a specific genre or category. He said being at seainfluences his music.

He writes many songs about the hardships of life at sea, and being a sailor.

Before going underway on his deployment in December 2017, Holmes wrote and released "The Deployment Song." The resonating and heartfelt ballad is a soulful song about what sailors go through as their ship pulls away from the pier, waving goodbye to their loved ones as they go to sea to accomplish their mission.

Holmes, a Houston, Texas, native, said he plans to continue writing music.

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