Pete Scobell is an American country music singer and retired Navy SEAL who became an overnight viral sensation in November 2026 — not for a song or a military honour, but for standing in the audience while his teenage son was interviewed on television. On 9 November 2026, his son Walker Scobell appeared on Good Morning America to promote the third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which premieres on 20 November 2026, and when the camera found Pete in the crowd, social media decided he looked like Poseidon, the sea god and the father of Walker’s character. Fans began petitioning for him to appear on the show.
Behind the clip is a remarkable life: 17 years in the Navy, six combat deployments, a music career launched as therapy after a combat brain injury, a charting duet with Wynonna Judd and, since October 2025, an executive role at Datavault AI. This biography covers Pete Scobell’s age, Navy SEAL career, music, business career, family and net worth in 2026.
| Full Name | Pete Scobell |
| Date of Birth | 1977 (exact date not publicly reported) |
| Age | 48–49 years old (as of November 2026) |
| Birthplace | Pennsylvania, USA |
| Occupation | Country singer; retired Navy SEAL; Vice President, Global Security at Datavault AI |
| Known For | Country music; father of actor Walker Scobell; viral Good Morning America moment |
| Spouse | Heather Scobell |
| Net Worth 2026 | Not publicly disclosed (see Net Worth section below) |
Early Life
Pete Scobell was born in Pennsylvania in 1977. His mother died when he was ten months old, and the musical instruments she left behind inspired his interest in music, which he pursued seriously from high school. He grew up in Fairview, Pennsylvania, graduating from Fairview High School in 1995; his future wife Heather graduated from the same school in 1993.
After training as a SEAL, he was selected for the Naval Academy Preparatory School and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2003, where he set the freshman pole vault record at 16 feet 3 inches — a mark that still stood in 2020, per his Gannon University keynote biography.
Navy SEAL Career
Scobell served 17 years in the United States Navy, including membership in the Navy SEALs, with six combat deployments. He served with SEAL Team Eight, SEAL Team ONE, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, earning the Bronze Star with Valor, the Bronze Star, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, two Presidential Unit Citations and two Combat Action Ribbons.
He retired from the military in the early 2010s after suffering a brain injury in combat. It was after leaving the service that music, which he had written since high school, became central to his life again — he resumed playing as a form of therapy, and that decision led directly to his recording career.
Country Music Career
Scobell began his music career in 2015. His first break came when he was invited to record an original song, “The Ones I Stand Beside”, for The Hornet’s Nest, a 2014 documentary about the war in Afghanistan. While recording it, he met country star Wynonna Judd and her husband, producer and musician Cactus Moser.
Moser suggested Scobell and Judd record “Hearts I Leave Behind”, written by Travis Meadows in 2013 as a tribute to Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, murdered that year. They released it independently through iTunes, with all proceeds donated to the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation. The duet reached number one on the iTunes charts, per Gannon University’s conference biography, and peaked at number 21 on the US Bubbling Under chart and number 30 on the US Country chart. Scobell also toured as Judd’s opening act that year.
His second single, “Wild”, followed in 2015 with a music video, and his debut album Walkin’ a Wire arrived in 2016, produced by Moser and featuring musicians from Judd’s backing band, the Big Noise. Its title track reached number 39 on the Music Row chart. A second album recorded with Moser is noted in his conference biography, though its title is not named in the sources available. Wikipedia lists his music years active as 2015 to the present, and he performs as an independent artist.
Business Career and Datavault AI
Alongside music, Scobell built a business career. He founded Valor Industries, a sports equipment company making protective gear and technology for athletes, and has served as chief operating officer of Data Donate Technologies, a New York-based company.
On 21 October 2025, Datavault AI Inc. (Nasdaq: DVLT) appointed him Vice President, Global Security, overseeing global security operations, risk management and real-world asset logistics, and supporting its Anti-Stolen Valor initiative honouring military service and accountability. “True security is about precision in execution and strength in culture,” Scobell said on his appointment, adding that he was honoured to join the mission “because real protection isn’t just physical, it’s moral”. His full-time work is now the Datavault AI post, while his music career is listed as ongoing.
The Viral GMA Moment
On 9 November 2026, Walker appeared on Good Morning America to promote the third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, premiering on 20 November 2026. During the interview, Walker described Percy as a “regular dude”, and host Rhiannon Ally turned to the audience: “To your family, you’re just Walker. Your dad is here. Hi dad, we see you over there. He must be so proud!” The camera panned to Pete standing in the crowd.
The clip spread rapidly on X, where one widely shared post observed that “nothing prepares you for what appears after the presenter says: ‘hi, dad'”. As Just Jared reported on 10 November 2026, many viewers noted that Pete looks like Poseidon — the sea god and Percy’s father in the series — and fans began petitioning for him to appear on the show. The moment made a man who had spent most of his adult life in uniform and on stage famous overnight for simply being a proud father in a studio audience.
Personal Life, Family and Net Worth
Pete Scobell is married to Heather Scobell, and the couple live in Fairview, Pennsylvania, where they both grew up. They have three children: an older daughter, Leena; middle child Walker, born in 2009; and a younger son, Tanner. Military life meant frequent moves — nine since 2005, per the Gannon University biography — before they settled back in Fairview. Walker has spoken about growing up in a military household and the adventure sports his father introduced him to, including skiing, which Pete took up professionally after retiring from the Navy.
As for his net worth, no reliable figure has been published. A search of public sources in November 2026 found no estimate for him at all, and no outlet has reported his earnings from music, business or his Datavault AI role. His wealth is therefore not publicly disclosed, and this article gives no number rather than repeating an invented one. What is documented is a career spanning elite military service, a charting country music career and senior corporate leadership — a combination few public figures can claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Pete Scobell?
Pete Scobell was born in Pennsylvania in 1977, making him 48 or 49 as of November 2026. His exact date of birth has not been publicly reported — only the birth year is known.
Who is Pete Scobell’s wife?
Heather Scobell. They both attended Fairview High School in Pennsylvania — she graduated in 1993, he in 1995 — and now live in Fairview with their three children.
Was Pete Scobell really a Navy SEAL?
Yes. He served 17 years in the Navy, with SEAL Team Eight, SEAL Team ONE, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, across six combat deployments. He earned the Bronze Star with Valor and retired in the early 2010s after a brain injury received in combat.
What songs is Pete Scobell known for?
His best-known song is “Hearts I Leave Behind”, his 2015 duet with Wynonna Judd, a tribute to Navy SEAL Chris Kyle that topped the iTunes charts and peaked at number 30 on the US Country chart. His other releases include the single “Wild” (2015) and his debut album Walkin’ a Wire (2016), whose title track reached number 39 on the Music Row chart.
What is Pete Scobell’s net worth?
Not publicly disclosed. No reliable outlet has published an estimate of his wealth, so no figure is given here.
Why did Pete Scobell go viral?
Pete Scobell went viral on 9–10 November 2026 after appearing in the audience during his son Walker’s Good Morning America interview. When host Rhiannon Ally pointed him out on air, viewers flooded X with comments, many noting that he looks like Poseidon, the father of Walker’s character Percy Jackson, and petitioning for him to appear on the Disney+ series.
Pete Scobell is the father of Walker Scobell, the star of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Readers may also like our biographies of Ross Lynch and Noah Wyle.
