CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Jim Coppoc, a Traer resident and pastor who works at the Iowa Veterans Home, has been nominated for a songwriting award for his song “Soldier for a Son.”

TRAER – Although local pastor Jim Coppoc’s main calling will always be ministry, those who know him know he is also obsessed with creative writing in any form – plays, poems, sermons, op-eds and even the occasional song. Over the past few years, Coppoc has written a number of new songs, including the now-award-winning “Soldier for a Son,” written just days before Coppoc’s oldest son deployed to Syria last year as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. That song has now earned Coppoc a coveted nomination for a Josie Music Award in the category of “Songwriter Achievement.” A selection of lyrics from the song includes: “He was born on a Thursday in a two horse town / Raised him up the best I could, didn’t want to let him down / Told him all the stories of great men who went before / Now my son is dressed in camouflage, and he’s headed off to war.”

In addition to Coppoc’s pastoral duties at Ripley United Church of Christ, he is a full-time musician at the Iowa Veterans Home and member of the Cedar Valley-based band, Honey on the Weekend. Coppoc was the recipient last year of an Iowa Music Award for a spoken word performance given at the Oster Regent Theatre in Cedar Falls in spring 2025. Coppoc sings with the children of Ripley UCC every Sunday morning during a special “Children’s Celebration” worship segment.

The Josie Music Awards are the premier music event within the independent music industry, recognizing and celebrating excellence globally. The JMAs honor exceptional talent, hard work, growth, outstanding bodies of work and contributions by those who inspire us, encourage us and shape the culture of the global independent music industry. The 12th Annual JMAs will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 20, 2026.