Country duo The War and Treaty meets fans after a USO performance in Vicenza, Italy, on Oct. 22, 2024. (Rick Scavetta/U.S. Army)

VICENZA, Italy — Country music duo The War and Treaty has been nominated for many awards and has several hits, but the road to fame started in an unlikely place — one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces in Baghdad.

On multiple deployments during his four-year enlisted Army career between 2003 and 2007, Michael Trotter served and sometimes struggled in the 1st Armored Division’s 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment.

“When I met up with my unit, they quickly identified me as the weak link. They had to find ways to keep me focused and calm, where I could get grounded,” Trotter said.

He came from a musical family and already knew he could sing. But after the soldiers found a piano in the Green Zone palace, he taught himself a few chords and started putting on concerts for his unit. Trotter wrote songs about his fellow soldiers and started to dream about what he would do after the war.

“I dreamed and I dreamed big, but I didn’t dream big enough, because when I met my wife I quickly realized that this was a big dream,” he said from Caserma Ederle, where the couple performed free for U.S. service members Tuesday night.

Michael and Tanya Trotter, the husband and wife duo behind The War and Treaty, perform on stage during a concert in Vicenza, Italy, Oct. 22, 2024. (Rick Scavetta/U.S. Army)

His wife, Tanya, began her singing career as a teenager when she appeared in the film “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.” She released her debut album in 1994.

Still, she thought she would become a lawyer and work on the business side of the music industry.

The two met at the Spirit of Love music festival in Laurel, Md. They were married for about three years before they even started singing together. Friends heard them sing a song Michael Trotter had written and encouraged them to perform at church, where the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Since then, they’ve released three albums and have a fourth coming out on Valentine’s Day. They’ve collaborated with Zach Bryan on “Hey Driver,” and with Emmylou Harris.

In 2023, they were the first black duo to be nominated for the Country Music Association award for duo of the year and they’ve received two Grammy nominations, including for best new artist.

Tanya Trotter says the newfound fame is surreal. But their 13-year-old son keeps the couple grounded.

“He always reminds me, ‘Mom, you guys are popular now, you can get me more Roblox!’” she said.

Michael Trotter, right, poses with a fellow service member in uniform. Trotter, now part of the award-winning country music duo The War and Treaty, credits his time in the military and a piano found in one of Saddam Husseins palaces for restarting his passion for music. (Facebook)

Tanya Trotter’s father was in the Army and met her mom while stationed in Panama. Her brother was in the Marines. And though it’s been many years since Iraq, Michael Trotter’s military service is still an inspiration for the couple’s music.

“We’re able to travel the world and sing to people and bring them hope,” Tanya Trotter said. “Soldiers put their life on the line, sacrifice time with their family. This is the least I can do as a civilian.”

They said these days, patriotism can sometimes be seen as a negative. They hope to separate patriotism from politics.

“Patriotism is completely different from being involved with a political party,” Tanya Trotter said. “It’s about celebrating the fact that you live in America and have freedoms that a lot of people in a lot of countries don’t have.

Whether you’re into politics or not or have opinions about who’s running, patriotism starts by looking around and saying, ‘Wow, this is the freedom I have. And you have the right to vote.’”

The War and Treaty played for families in Vicenza on Tuesday night. They will perform at Aviano Air Base at La Bella Vista Club on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.; in Naples on Oct. 25 , 7 p.m. at the Support Site following an 11:30 a.m. meet-and-greet at Capodichino food court; and at the Navy base in Sigonella on Oct. 26, 6 p.m. at Midtown Plaza.

Michael and Tanya Trotter, the husband-and-wife duo behind The War and Treaty, perform on stage during a concert in Rapid City, S.D., in May 2024. Known for their soulful harmonies and stage presence, the Trotters have deep military roots. (Facebook)