Singer-songwriter John Jennings, who produces and plays
guitar on Mary Chapin Carpenter's records, says his recent trip with Carpenter to the
Middle East to entertain troops was in a state-of-the-art military transport plane.
"We took off, and they plunked us down at these consoles that are like desks, and in
front of me was a screen that never came on," Jennings recalls. "To my left was
a red telephone. I was sitting next to the Secretary of Defense's chief of staff who said,
"You can call in an air strike from that phone if you want to.' I said, 'I think not.
I'm a guitar player."