In 2010, Erinn Dearth founded Letters From Home in Winston-Salem, NC, a singing and tap dancing USO-style show with a mission to honor veterans, active military heroes and their families by reviving patriotism through music.
The show’s idea came from Erinn’s father, Pat Dearth, a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. Since its inception, Letters From Home has performed over 900 shows across 41 states, and in 2020, hosted several live online events. A documentary produced by Our State Television on the group won an Emmy award, and in 2019, they traveled to Normandy, France to perform for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.
The current touring performers of Letters From Home are the recently engaged Dearth and Dan Beckmann, but throughout the years, the group has seen many performers who are all returning- in some way- for celebrations around the 10th anniversary of the show.
Dearth, Beckmann and past members of the group Courtney Groves, Amanda Newman, Serah Haley, Chelsea Vanderhamm, Heidi Shafer and Brynn Lewallen all sang together for the first time in a video of “When You’re Smiling” that can be viewed now on the Letters From Home YouTube and facebook pages.
Additionally, a 10-Year Reunion calendar is available for purchase, featuring memories throughout the years of life on the road with Letters From Home. Calendars are $20 and all proceeds go to the Pat Dearth Veterans Performance Fund, which allows the group to perform across the country in veterans hospitals and VA homes, and in these times create digital content to be enjoyed by veterans from their homes.
When asked what her favorite part of Letters From Home has been, Erinn Dearth said that without a doubt, it’s been the thousands of people the group has met along the way. “Reflecting on the friendships that have blossomed over the past ten years has been a truly humbling experience”, she said. “Audience members have become friends, and those friends have become extended family”.
In 2021, a full reunion show is scheduled featuring all the members of Letters From Home on November 6, 2021, (subject to change based on Covid status). This once-in-a-lifetime performance will take place at the High Point Theatre, 220 East Commerce Avenue, High Point, NC 27261, at 7:00 pm. Tickets will go on sale in January 2021, and can be purchased at www.lettersfromhomesingers.com or www.highpointtheatre.com.
For more information on Letters From Home, please email [email protected].
