(Photo Credit: Micah McNair from Black River Entertainment)
Nashville, Tenn. — November 25, 2025 — The documentary GRATEFUL: The Scotty Hasting Story has been nominated for a 2025 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Nashville/Midsouth Emmy® Award in the category of Military – Short or Long Form Content. The awards gala is scheduled to take place on February 14, 2026, in Nashville.
The Film: Service and Recovery
The film was produced by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and chronicles the personal and professional journey of Black River recording artist and Purple Heart recipient Scotty Hasting.
The documentary details Hasting’s military service as an Army Infantryman with the 1st Infantry Division. After being shot ten times during combat in Afghanistan in April 2011, Hasting sustained injuries that led to his medical discharge.
The documentary focuses on Hasting’s subsequent recovery, his discovery of purpose through adaptive sports, and his pivot to music in 2020. Hasting began playing the guitar and utilized music as a tool to manage PTSD and anxiety following his service.
The film had its broadcast premiere on The Country Network on Veterans Day.
Recent Music and Career Milestones
The news of the Emmy nomination coincides with a period of high activity for Hasting’s music career:
Hasting’s recent single is “Scars,” a track he penned alongside Daniel Ethridge and Cole Phillips, addressing his recovery from physical and emotional wounds. This followed his cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.”
The “Fortunate Son” cover marked Hasting’s Grand Ole Opry debut on July 28, 2024, after being personally invited by actor Gary Sinise. He was met with multiple standing ovations.
Hasting is scheduled to perform on the 10th Annual America Salutes You Concert, set to air in December across multiple major streaming services. Earlier in 2025, Hasting performed his debut national television pieces on The National Memorial Day Concert on PBS.
Hasting maintains a commitment to music’s therapeutic value, continuing to work with organizations such as the PenFed Foundation and CreatiVets to support fellow Veterans.
You can watch the Emmy-nominated documentary, GRATEFUL: The Scotty Hasting Story , in full on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs channel.
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