When legendary songwriter and producer Kenny Gamble decided to record a symphonic version of the patriotic song 'I Am an American' with Patti LaBelle, he wanted to do more than just pay tribute to his country -- he wanted to honor all the men and women who've served in the armed forces.

"The project started with my youngest brother, Carl. He's a Vietnam veteran who went in when he was 18 and he suffered from Agent Orange, shrapnel and got shot a couple times," Gamble, who's best known for writing songs such as 'Love Train' and 'Me and Mrs. Jones' with Leon Huff, tells Spinner. "He's 62 now, and we talk a lot about all the obstacles that a veteran has to go through. He had a rough time dealing with the system to get his finances together."

Shocked to learn how many veterans end up homeless, Gamble decided to spread awareness by recording 'I Am an American,' a song originally written "in the '30s or '40s" by a member of the International Peace Mission charitable movement named Happy Victoria Love. "It says that we all should be very proud of our country because America has shown tremendous growth and it's still a baby, it's still developing compared to other countries," Gamble says. "There's no better time for us as citizens to be more patriotic and pay attention to the greatest of Americans: the veterans, those who risk their lives and some who give their lives so that others might be able to enjoy the freedoms we have here."

After originally hearing the song in 1980 at a dinner held by the Peace Mission, it wasn't until the late '90s that Gamble started working on a modern arrangement with the Temple University Orchestra and Choir. "We recorded it live and when I listened to it, I said, 'Well, it really sounds great. It's sort of classical in a way, but it needs a little hot sauce to it.' So, I called my good friend Patti LaBelle and asked if she would sing it," Gamble, who's produced several of LaBelle's albums, says. "She came and put the little hot sauce on it. With the power of Patti's voice and her spirit on it, I think it really makes it a new song to uplift the spirit of Americans all over this country and around the world."

Just in time for Veterans Day, Gamble has released a CD/DVD combo called 'I Am an American: The Making of an Anthem,' which chronicles not only the making of the song but his work visiting veterans. "We've been working with the Veterans Administration and part of the proceeds from this will go to homeless veterans," Gamble says. "I think it comes at a great time because the morale of the country is a little low because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care and the economy. This song speaks about how America is every race, every creed, every color, every nationality. There's never been a country like America. We must support it in every way that we can as citizens."

The song, which will be performed at Veterans Day parades around the country, was a big hit with Carl. "He loved it. I'm trying to get him to come to the veterans homes but he goes through situations where he's up and down, so I'm not trying to put too much pressure on him," Gamble says. "He's the one who educated me, so I want to take the opportunity to educate others and I think music is the perfect medium for it. Our goal is to make this song a new anthem for America."

Check out a preview of 'I Am an American: The Making of an Anthem' below.