Rising artist Seth Ennis had a front row seat for the price of freedom growing up as a military brat. His father served as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and flew Black Hawks on rescue missions in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War.
Looking back, Ennis believes he was unaware of the danger that his father’s job entailed. Home was primarily in Georgia. But moving to military bases in Japan, Florida, Washington, DC and elsewhere every three years was normal. Thanks to his father, music became his one constant.
“I have two brothers, and he was pretty strict on me and my brothers growing up,” Ennis tells CMT.com. “He came up from nothing and made himself into this colonel in the Air Force, and so, he had this really hard work ethic that instilled in me and my brothers.
“He made me and my older brothers take piano lessons when I was five years old, and I absolutely hated it. He said that if I met this quota of lesson books, and learn the [Peanuts] theme, then I could choose any instrument I wanted to play.”
Ennis fulfilled his father’s quota, learned the Vince Guaraldi classic and at eight years old, he got a job with his brothers delivering Spotlight magazines on the air force base; a gig that paid $300 a month. In no time, he saved the $600 to purchase his first set of drums. From there, music became Ennis’ life.