I come from a very large family. On my mother’s side I am one of 28 grandkids. On my father’s side there are 12 more, not to mention the second cousins, great aunts and uncles, spouses, in-laws and people that came around who felt like family. Holidays were chaotic multi-generational affairs with loud voices and old stories and copious amounts of food. Family reunions had singing and dancing and dodgeball and laughter and big personalities and theological arguments and memories being made. I am the second of four kids, and our childhood was hot Memphis summers and long road trips in a red conversion van. We visited over 40 states before I graduated high school.
Everyone has a family, for better or worse. No one can inspire more loyalty and more frustration than blood. I wanted to write a song that reflected the beauty, chaos, disfunction, and hilarity that family can be. My own family has been a springboard for me. My mom went to more bars to see me play music in the first two years of my career than the rest of her life combined. My brother traveled the world with me for eighteen months as my tour manager. My sister and her family inspired the song “Live Forever.” They have been with me every step of the way.
I hope this song makes you laugh and smile at the paradox of family. It's the best thing. It's the hardest thing. It's the thing that defines us in more ways than we can articulate and understand.
"Family" is available now. Kick off your shoes and dance. Listen Here.
New Single: "Family"
