Creekview High School marching band director Rob Opitz admits he's not a big country music fan.

But during a televised performance by country star Trace Adkins, Opitz couldn't help but to feel paralyzed by his song "Til the Last Shot's Fired."

"It was pretty moving," he said.

Opitz was so moved by the song he decided to overhaul the band's 2009 marching program at the last minute to honor those who sacrifice during times of war.

"Til the Last Shot's Fired" is an Adkins' classic and pays homage to those military men and women and their families who sacrifice their service to the United States.

Opitz changed the Creekview Marching Grizzlies' theme from "Peace, Love and Happiness" to "Letters from Home."

The marching band will perform its "Letters from Home" show this Saturday during the second annual Creekview Classic Marching Competition. The event begins at 4:30 p.m., and Creekview will perform at 8:30 p.m.

The theme's concept surrounds a soldier who has been deployed to serve in combat. His wife writes letters to him until he returns home.

During the performance, the band will play "Travelin' Soldier" by the Dixie Chicks, Adkins' "Til The Last Shot's Fired," a drum performance of The Beatles hit "Come Together" and Daughtry's "Home" at the close.

Opitz said his students were moved by his selection.

"I had several of them in tears," he said. "They thought it would be really cool."

Opitz shared his inspiration with band booster parents, who also fell in love with the theme.

Booster parent Dallas Padgett of Ball Ground said the "theme was truly emotional."

Mrs. Padgett, who's serving as project manager for the Creekview Classic, felt so strongly about Opitz's inspiration that she e-mailed Atlanta's 94.9 The Bull country music radio station. She asked if anyone there could arrange for Opitz to meet Adkins at an upcoming concert.

The radio station pulled through, and Opitz was allowed to meet Adkins backstage. Adkins surprised Opitz by presenting him with a signed guitar to share with his students.

Scott Lindy, director of operations for Clear Channel Atlanta, which owns the radio station, said he was moved by Opitz's story.

Lindy noted he's heard of other people being so moved by Adkins' song that they wept openly and called loved ones to express their feelings.

"That Rob Opitz was so moved to change his band's musical performance was the spirit of the song playing out in real life," he added.

Drum major Meredith Dayoub also was moved by the song.

Meredith, the 16-year-old daughter of Marlin and Melissa Dayoub of Lathemtown, said she believes Opitz has "done a really good job" with choosing the theme.

Meredith, a junior at Creekview, has been in the marching band since her freshman year. She added her fellow band members also feel emotional about the song and the issue it harmonizes.

"It's easy to put our hearts into things," she said of herself and her classmates.

Opitz said he hopes his students will learn that not only do military service men and women make sacrifices, but also those families of those personnel sacrifice their loved ones for the greater cause of preserving freedom at home and abroad.

"I want them to gain an appreciation for sacrifice," he said.