Bay Area musicians travel to Iraq to play for troops

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Some Bay Area musicians recently returned from Kuwait and Iraq, where they performed for the troops. They stopped by to tell ABC7 about the trip, in which they found themselves ducking for cover.

"We knew it was dangerous because we were having to wear flak jackets and helmets to and from every airplane in case somebody shot at us," singer/songwriter Jamie Kyle said.

"It didn't seem that dangerous when we thought about going," singer Dave Jenkins said.

Jenkins, vocalist for the rock band Pablo Cruise, and Kyle joined several famous rock entertainers to bring a little bit of home to U.S. troops serving Kuwait and Iraq.

"Those guys, a lot of them are young, but they know these songs; it was really something," Jenkins said.

Pablo Cruise is known for hits including "Whatcha Going to do When She Says Goodbye" and "Love Will Find a Way".

Jenkins and Kyle played with entertainers whom baby boomers will remember: Bobby Kimball, Toto, Bill Champlin from both "Sons of Champlin" in Marin and the band Chicago.

"We did Pablo's hits, some Chicago hits, and Toto's hits," Jenkins said.

The danger of being in a war zone did become a reality for the performers.

"We had just finished the very last set of "Whatcha Going to do When She Says Goodbye" and as soon as we hit the last chord, 'Incoming, Incoming,' everybody, everybody in the audience and everybody on the stage we all just jammed to get down, as low and we heard the rocket go over and we heard it hit 250 yards away," Jenkins said.

Their trip was an adventure they will never forget.

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military, music, iraq, entertainment, cheryl jennings

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