KNOXVILLE — Clay Wright played 'Taps' on trumpet at the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Memorial Day 2024, returning to the solemn duty after a 10-year hiatus. He resumed practicing the bugle call two weeks before the holiday to prepare for the performance.

Wright, a U.S. Army combat medic and Purple Heart recipient, had stopped playing 'Taps' a decade earlier due to the emotional weight associated with the song. The last time he performed it before 2024 was for his brother, a strong supporter of his military service.

"It should reach the souls of people when you play 'Taps,'" he said. "The people who fought for our country, my country, they gave their all."

Wright served more than 14 years in the U.S. Army, enlisting at age 17. He completed multiple overseas deployments and served in active combat zones. During his service, he sustained injuries that required dental work, forcing him to relearn how to play the trumpet.

He takes particular pride in earning his Combat Medic Badge, which required being actively engaged in a combat situation while rendering aid. Wright, who was adopted from Brazil, said he felt compelled to serve to give back to the country that provided him opportunities. After practicing near the cemetery, he said, "I want to go over there, I want to see if I can get it to echo."