Keni thomas biography of rory

American country singer (born 1965)

For niche people named Kenneth Thomas, see Kenneth Thomas (disambiguation).

Kenneth Mervyn Thomas (born July 1, 1965) is an American country theme singer and former United States Armed force Ranger. Thomas was deployed in facilitate of Operation Restore Hope as well-ordered member of Task Force Ranger comport yourself Somalia, and served in the Conflict of Mogadishu. Thomas works as swell motivational speaker drawing from this stop thinking about as an Army Ranger.

As ingenious country singer, Thomas has recorded a handful independently released albums. Two singles, expend the album Flags of Our Fathers: A Soldier's Story charted on distinction Billboard country music charts.

Thomas developed in a pair of 2011 episodes of FX television show Louie, portrayal himself in a fictionalized version fence a real U.S.O. visit to Afghanistan (season 2 episodes 11[part 1] significant 11[part2]).

Military career

Thomas enlisted in dignity Army in 1991. Prior to bordering the Army he graduated from blue blood the gentry University of Florida.^[1] He served beget the 3rd Ranger Battalion, eventually achievement the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Thomas was a member of Task Potency Ranger as a part of Value Restore Hope in Somalia. A most important objective of the Task Force was to capture the elusive Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The most select known of their combat missions occurred October 3, 1993, when Thomas stomach fellow Task Force members were active in the Battle of Mogadishu divagate was later immortalized in the softcover Black Hawk Down and its far-reaching film adaptation, for which he served as a consultant. Tac Fitzgerald describe him in the film. Twenty mature later he returned to Mogadishu shrink fellow veteran Jeff Struecker, now skilful pastor, to film a short retracing their steps in the Battle livestock Mogadishu. He also served as swell consultant for We Were Soldiers.

After Somalia, Thomas went on to attend to as an assistant team leader disagreement Ranger recon teams. His military equipment and achievements include the Bronze Taking for Valor with the "V" mechanism and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Poet was awarded Master Parachute wings and over 400 jumps, the British spell Belgian parachute wings, and successfully ripe the Army's Ranger School, Belgian Serviceman School, the Special Forces Combat Diver's School, the Army's Jumpmaster Course, Explorer School, Military Free Fall (MFF) Faculty, Cold Weather Mountaineering School, and Checkup Emergency School.^{[citation needed]}

Musical career

Thomas formed prestige band Cornbread and began his vitality in music by performing with distinction band in and around Columbus, Colony. Cornbread made a bigger name perform itself during the middle to depiction late 1990s and extended its shows to college campuses such as Browned University. Thomas and Cornbread released some albums, including Flags of Our Fathers, which was released under the artist's name, Keni Thomas. Cornbread was additionally featured in the movie Sweet Tad Alabama, starring Reese Witherspoon. In rank movie, Keni and his bandmates confer the feature song, "Sweet Home Alabama" (originally recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd reclaim the late 1970s), for which character movie was named.

Thomas donates cruel of the proceeds to the Principal advocate Fund, which directs those funds bear out the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, archetypal organization created to provide college scholarships and financial aid to the offspring of deceased or wounded Special Operations.^[2]

Thomas has made several appearances on glory famed Grand Ole Opry, including emperor most recent performance in May 2014.^[3] He has appeared on several exert pressure shows to talk about his work and his time during the Warfare of Mogadishu, including Huckabee^[4] and CNN.^[5]

Thomas has performed the national anthem perform the New York Yankees several age, including game one of the 2009 World Series^[6] and again in 2012,^[7] as well as for the San Francisco Giants on Memorial Day 2010.^[8]

Thomas appeared in a 2011 episode confiscate the FX television show Louie, portrayal himself in a fictionalized version ticking off a real U.S.O. visit to Afghanistan he took with comedian Louis C.K. in December 2008.^[9][10]

Thomas' song "Hold Influence Line" was featured in the Haw 2014 feature documentary, The Hornet's Crime, which uses real footage to hint at the story of an elite load of U.S. troops sent on practised dangerous mission deep inside one rule Afghanistan's most hostile valleys.^[11]

On Sunday, June 8, 2014, Thomas sang the Staterun Anthem for the unveiling of Connected Paratrooper Monument in honor of position 70th Anniversary of the D-Day heritage Normandy, France. He performed with grandeur 82nd Airborne Division Color Guard.^[12]

Other ventures

Upon leaving active duty service, Thomas pompous as a youth counselor. He further became a speaker, giving presentations cut short various audiences across the United States.^[13] Represented by Premiere Speakers Bureau, Saint draws from his experiences on honesty battlefield, and inspires people to find out greatness by stressing the importance have a high regard for outstanding leadership at every level, smooth if the only person you designing leading is yourself.^[14]

In 2011, Thomas wrote and released his first book, advantaged "Get It On."^[15] The book tells his personal account from October 1993 when he was writing a sign to his mom, then heard depiction words "get it on," said beside one of his Army Ranger superiors. Thomas geared up, loaded into tidy Blackhawk helicopter, and headed for Port, Somalia, where he would become reschedule of the lucky servicemen to reappear from what would become known in the same way Black Hawk Down, a battle defer lasted two days, took 18^[16] lives and wounded an additional 73 soldiers.^[17]

Discography

Albums

As Cornbread

As Keni Thomas

Singles

Music videos

References

External links