Valerie Day, former Army Specialist performs for Conejo Valley Days in Thousand Oaks, CA- April 29, 2004 8:30 p.m.

Singer Songwriter formerly of the USA Express Touring Band with Army Entertainment breaks into mainstream entertainment after a 6 month tour of the US camps in the Middle East.

May 1, 2004--After graduation from High School, Valerie Day joined the United States Army. She believes in our country and wanted to protect the freedom we enjoy. The events of September 11, 2001 strengthened her resolve to give back to her country. She took her keyboard down to the guard house at Fort Polk where she played music to uplift worried and concerned soldiers. They were missing their families and loved ones so on the spot, she wrote songs to go with the stories they were telling of how they met their sweethearts.

Officers observed the effect she had on others through her music and involvement with her rock band, PuZzLeBoX     They had her perform at Military Balls and encouraged her to become involved in the base play, "Seven keys to Bald Pate". Shortly after the final performance, her unit was deployed to Khandahar, Afghanistan where she spent six months in the 125-135 degree heat fixing air conditioner units for the tents, repairing shower units and entertaining the troops with her music.

"You become really popular when you enter a tent and say, I'm here to fix your air conditioning or give you hot water for your showers!", says Valerie.

How did she get her keyboard to Afghanistan? Her squad leader was so impressed with her that he made room for it, wrapping it in bubble tape and packed it into his own footlocker. While in Afghanistan, when not working on the facility support team, she composed songs and played for friends.

Specialist Valerie Rose Day also met comedian Robin Williams and Joan Jett and the Black Hearts along the way and witnessed how their visits seemed to uplift the spirits of the soldiers around her. There are pictures of her with them on her website. When she returned to Fort Polk, Louisiana in December, she resumed working with her band, "Stitch". They played in the "Blues Review" for Black History week in February where the theatre director, Thomas Watson asked her to submit a video for the review of the USA Express Touring Band.

The USA Express Band had been looking for a keyboardist for six months and quickly took Valerie to Virginia to train with famed musician, Cordell Hall, now of the US Army Entertainment Division. The group of service men and women learned 40 cover songs in two weeks working sometimes 14 hours a day. Their website can be found at: http://groups.msn.com/USAExpressTouringBand

Before long, the 6 members were ready to begin their Middle East Odyssey...an adventure through sand storms, equipment failure due to sand, anxious moments when their vehicles quit in the desert of Iraq, rides on C130 aircraft and Chinook Helicopters, convoys of trucks with interpreters who were amazed that they were the only convoy not shot at in weeks. Tirelessly, they were fueled by the eager faces and grateful smiles of soldiers who needed spiritual rejuvenation that they found in the USA Express Touring Band.

The tour took them from Alexandria, Virginia to all the US Armed forces camps in Kuwait, then on to Uzbekistan, the gateway to Afghanistan, from Kabul to Khandahar, then on to Qatar. From there they began the arduous journey from Southern Iraq up to Northern Iraq including Baghdad, Mozul and Tikrit. While they played, Saddam listened from his "spider" hole.....

Highlights of the tour were having Conan O'Brien open for them in Kuwait, meeting Joan Jett, Robin Williams, all of which generously donated their time and talents to uplifting the morale of the US troops and of course, diving into the cool waters of one of Saddam Hussein's Palace pools in Tikrit. Returning to the states, the Touring Band hit the homeland bases winding up their tour at the Pentagon for a memorable performance of a lifetime.

Valerie returned to California after completing 3 years honorable duty for her country and now has been performing locally at the Virtual World Cafe in Agoura Hills. Her stage name is Amethyst.

They say that an Amethyst is a delicate gem formed from sand, extreme heat and iron. She has endured all and is as tough as nails (can shoot an M-16 much better than all of us put together!). Valerie has emerged from the Desert...an Amethyst.....

The performer will be highlighting her newest song, "Just another Soldier" and appears tonight with Jennifer Deirmendjian on violin and Heitiare Maker on Bass at the Amgen Family Stage of Conejo Valley Days (23 freeway and Janss). The trio have an eclectic blend of rock and new age piano with the touch of classic violin. Each musical contribution to the sound compliments the other.

Amethyst and her band, plan to dedicate this show to the men and women of the armed services, that they will know they are loved and supported their efforts are not in vain. She has seen the faces of the people there in the middle east. She has looked into their eyes and she knows that many love the Americans for what they have done - eradicated the biggest weapon of mass destruction from their lives, Saddam Hussein. "We expect the angels of 9/11 and those who have given their lives in the name of protecting our freedom to be watching over our performance tonight - it's all for them".

Amethyst's website can be found at http://www.valerieday.com