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Airborne
Girl
Productions
began
in 1996, but the roots that lead to this enterprise are
spread
over two decades.
Penny
began writing and singing at the age of 15.
After winning regional and state
talent shows, her hobby for overcoming shyness
turned quite profitable. That
hobby grew into a professional respect when she began singing commercials, radio
ID's, and performing studio work. After watching and learning from studio
musicians, she began producing her own original material
and
formed her own publishing company.
The first legacy anthem she wrote
was
in tribute to "the soldier's entertainer", Bob Hope. She
presented the anthem
to Mr. Hope personally in 1974
when he toured Texas.
Over
the years, Penny's personal publishing efforts continued to concentrate on
contemporary pop music, Christian music, corporate anthems and tributes,
commercials jingles, and music written for soldiers. She continued
to stockpile
her composer's library.
In
late 1990, she decided to concentrate more on writings that honored
soldiers,
when her older brother, Skip, a career army soldier, was deployed to
the middle east for
Operation Desert Shield. She wrote
a tribute
for him that
became a wives' anthem during Desert Storm. This
brought Penny back to associate
in the soldier circles
again.
She
continued to write and stay close to the studio. During
the summer of
1996, she lost her most trusted friend. It was not only a turning point in
her life, but it was a huge turning point in her writing style and focus.
While continuing to write and produce for Neff Note Music, she formed Airborne
Girl Productions to begin the mission of
writing
legacy music
for
Airborne and
Special Operations Warriors.
She
uprooted her proud Texas roots, leaving a country club life style
behind,
and headed
for Georgia.
She bought a farm 25 miles from Ft. Benning so that she
could be closer to the family needs of Ft. Benning and Ft. Bragg, where she was
spending most of her time writing.
"The farm is the home of Airborne Girl
Productions, and it provides a safe house for me to write and be
the most productive.
The pine trees and solitude offer unlimited inspiration for me", Penny
states with a country ease.
"To
write with credibility and capture the spirit of the airborne soldier, it was
important for
me to spend time with the units. Knowing that I am allowed to
work with the most elite premier warriors in the world, I fully realize that privilege
comes with accountability and discretion."
Penny
has earned unprecedented credibility in working with the units for
which she writes.
Remaining a "quiet professional" and living in the honor
code of the elite units she visits is one reason she continues to remain in the
highest regard of special operations circles. In July 2001, the
elite 75th Ranger Regiment inducted Ms. Neff into the regiment as an honorary
member.
Even
though, Penny still has requests to return to the corporate marketplace, she believes
that she can do more for her country and her troops by serving them full time
through the music and mission of Airborne Girl Productions. She
will
continue to write exclusively for the American warrior.
Penny
says "I have lived the
All-American dream abundantly and have had more than
my share of successes. However, when I leave this earth I simply want to
be remembered as a writer who had a soldier's heart and put that heart power
into soldier music.
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