Donovan Chapman was born and raised in North Louisiana and having a Hawaiian heritage, he links the spiritual connection to the land and sea and stays rooted with nature through farming, hunting, fishing and animal rescue. His mother, a native of Hawaii, exposed him to Hawaiian music at an early age, and he soon learned to play the ukulele.

Donovan’s talent and love for helping other veterans is the founder of Special Operations Veterans Class of Freedom Sings USA, a Chattanooga based non-profit organization. Freedom Sings USA helps veterans, active duty military and their families throughout the country reach emotional balance by telling their stories through the creative process of songwriting. We pair professional songwriters with veterans, active duty military and their families to help them tell their stories through song.

Chapman joined the United States Air Force at age 17 after graduating from high school.  The family’s legacy of service runs generationally.  His great-grandfather served in WW1, grandfather in WW2 and father served in Vietnam.  He and his younger brother served in Afghanistan/Uzbekistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Global War on Terrorism in 2002 and 2003, respectively.  Before his deployment in 2002, he served in Kuwait in 2000 in support of Operation Southern Watch. 

While serving as a Security Policeman (1992-1997), Chapman cross-trained into the elite Pararescue Teams with one of the most rigorous training pipelines known to the Department of Defense. Pararescuemen, (PJ's), are the most highly-trained Special Operations Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operators in all environments, i.e., desert, jungle, ocean, mountain and arctic. During his time of service, he suffered spinal, nerve and TBI’s requiring multiple surgeries and reconstruction.  He was told he would never sing again. He taught himself to play the guitar with an arm and a hand which were injured and rehabilitated by the VA Hospital.

While signed to the Curb Records label. Chapman's first single, "There Is No War," was released in 2003 which charted at 53 on Billboard Hot Country. The single was dedicated to families of American soldiers who had died overseas. “Hey Hollywood” landed at 56 on Billboard Hot Country. At the same time, Chapman released a self-titled EP, followed by his first full album, I Am America. Chapman recorded two albums for Curb Records, shortly before returning to duty in Afghanistan.

After returning to the United States, he signed to Category 5 Records. His first single, "House Like That", was released in late 2006 and peaked at 42 on Billboard Hot Country. A second single, "All I Need," was released in 2007, shortly before Chapman terminated his relationship with Category 5 Records. "House Like That" was produced by Billy Joe Walker, Jr.

After close to eleven years of service, Chapman was honorably discharged.  He then went on to pursue an Associate’s Degree from Tallahassee Community College and then earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Flagler College under the GI Bill.

Chapman’s rehabilitation lasted several years and has dealt with PTSD and guilt.  He acknowledges The Pararescue Foundation (PJF), his PJ brothers and former Pararescueman and mentor, Scotty Gearen for their sponsorship through his rehabilitation. 

Chapman says, “I learned about my path in life through the struggle and surrender that gave me the strength I never had before. To surrender to God and ask for his true purpose for me to be fulfilled within my life, was the bottom line. I had to accept that it is okay to feel the way I did and to grow as a student for life. I now know what our men and women go through in their darkest times, and I am proud of every step I took that led me to the truth in life, which I call the “Secret."  I realize that it is hard to let go of the past which attaches us to the preying victim mentality and ask God to take full control of our lives. I finally realized it had to be God's way and not my way through life. I wrote two songs on my new album "Brotherhood", to be released summer 2021, titled "Two Veterans" and "Revelation Change" while in rehab, and I now dedicate my life to helping veterans find the peace within their lives that they deserve for their duty to our country and mankind, and service before self. I'm on a new mission, a mission that was designed by God long ago, and that is to understand compassion at a new level, and help others. God allowed these past things within my life to happen with his hands protecting me all along. He needed me to see the truth in life and to realize why we are truly here.  I know their struggle and pain, and everyone's pain is just as real as another. We're a band of brothers and sisters, a sacred circle who chose to walk the path that not many will. I dedicate my life to them, as the Pararescue brothers did to me.”

• The album Brotherhood was officially released on October 29, 2021. The single “Highway Patrolman” was officially released to radio for initial add date on November 15, 2021. The song is rising up the Billboard Indicator Charts. 

• “Highway Patrolman”  Highway Patrolman is a law enforcement song featuring the Texas Highway Patrol. Fifty percent of paid royalties from the single are being donated to a THP Officer who has a son who has cerebral palsy” and needs financial support to purchase a vehicle to transport his son in. ThatOthersMayRise.org is the 501c3 organization that has created a "Kasey LE Child Love The Blue" link on their site which is where donations can be placed and where I will donate the fifty percent publishing proceeds to. 

• The song lyrics were inspired from the continuous dedicated work that the THP provides for the state of Texas along with the deployments to the border to support Border Patrol with the border crisis. Donovan feels law enforcement nation-wide needs our love and support for their relentless work effort to keep our country safe amongst the "defund police" movements across our nation. 

• Business Management - AA Degree from Tallahassee Community College and BA from Flagler College

• Donovan Chapman was born and raised in North Louisiana and having a Hawaiian heritage, he links the spiritual connection to the land and sea and stays rooted with nature through farming, hunting, fishing and animal rescue.

• Donovan’s talent and love for helping other veterans is the founder of Special Operations Veterans Class of Freedom Sings USA, a Chattanooga based non-profit organization.

• Chapman joined the United States Air Force at age 17 after graduating from high school.

• While serving as a Security Policeman (1992-1997), Chapman cross-trained into the elite Pararescue Teams with one of the most rigorous training pipelines known to the Department of Defense. 

• The Air Force Pararescue Motto "These Things We Do That Others May Live"

•  - This is our sacred motto that affirms Pararescue's dedication and commitment  to saving lives and the self-sacrifice made in all environments on earth.

• During his time of service, he suffered spinal, nerve and TBI’s requiring multiple surgeries and reconstruction.  He was told he would never sing again.

• He was signed to Curb Records and Category 5 Records, charting five songs on the Billboard Hot Country Chart.