In Time for Memorial Day, Farmington Doctor Records Patriotic Song

By Lisa Lenkiewicz

Just when I thought the world had found reason, and it seemed we all would survive/We found out the world has its demons, we must fight them to keep it alive/And so they left, the men and the women, for a place where no one should go/And they left, though they didn't like leavin' cause they're soldiers and they do what they're told. And in my mind they're American heroes and we owe them our thanks and much more/They go out there they fight for this country and they all know what they're fighting for.


These are lyrics to an original song honoring war veterans and their families, written and performed by Farmington pediatrician Dr. Peter Jannuzzi and released for the Memorial Day holiday.

Entitled “American Way,” the patriotic, country-style ballad was first composed by Jannuzzi in 1991, during the first Gulf War. He added additional verses after 9/11, when it became clear “we live in a different world. In a phone interview with Patch, Jannuzzi said, “We are always going to have men and women go off to fight.”

Songwriting is a hobby of his, and as he watched servicemen and women head to war zones, he was struck by the thought, “These men and women are now in it.”

Through his volunteer work at the Family Wellness Center at the University of Hartford Magnet School, Jannuzzi met a teacher named Janine Chapdelaine. She introduced him to her husband James, an Emmy-winning composer, guitarist and recording engineer who teaches at the Hartt School.

Jannuzzi and Chapdelaine teamed up to record the song, and Chapdelaine produced “American Way” in his studio in West Hartford. Jannuzzi sings and plays guitar while Chapdelaine plays several different types of guitar on the recording. Lorne Entriss, a local drummer, also performed.

“American Way” was released as a single, available digitally as an mp3. The cover design was created by Jannuzzi’s son John.

Jannuzzi himself served in the Army during peacetime from 1982-89, paying back his medical school education. He did his residency at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he was a captain. He was then stationed at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky, where he was an army major and next spent two years at West Point.

Jannuzzi noted all proceeds from sales of the recording will go to help veterans at the OASIS Center at Tunxis Community College to assist with mental health services, provide tuition assistance and to help veterans assimilate back to civilian life. The acronym OASIS stands for Operation Academic Support for Incoming Service members.  The Center opened in Founders Hall in 2009 and is for veterans who attend Tunxis to have a place to study and socialize between classes.

And every day I live in my dream world, safe and sound I sleep in my bed/Cause I know they're guarding my family, it's what I feel but it's not often said/ So all around let's put up our ribbons, fly our flags way high in the air/ And give thanks for all that they've given, let's let them know that America cares.


“American Way” is now available for purchase ($.99) through CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon.