Six Musicians Who Served in the US Military Before They Became Famous

When you think of musicians who were in the US military, you think of Elvis Presley and Glenn Miller, who were both quite well known before joining up. Miller volunteered during World War II and Presley was drafted in 1958. But there were other big names who served before we knew who they were. 

Their military careers varied. One credits his navy training in logistics for his ability to later organize concert tours. One was a Morse code expert who intercepted Russian transmissions. Another got his start in the business by singing with an army band as his official duty. One gave up an opportunity to teach at West Point in order to pursue a music career. And two of them were victims of the "enlist or go to jail" scheme that judges once used for young offenders. Neither lasted out their full hitch. Find out which successful musician is matched with each of those stories at Mental Floss.