ToC Encore: Turning Personal Tragedy Into Hit Records

Turning a personal tragedy into a hit record is tricky, and not just for all the normal reasons that it's difficult to make a song into a hit. Artists who write a great personal song may be hesitant to record it for months or years. Taste of Country writer Billy Dukes considers three powerful songs and three artists who dealt with the personal tragedies that inspired them in very different ways. 

Luke Bryan's 'Drink a Beer,' Miranda Lambert's 'Over You' and Dierks Bentley's 'Here on Earth' (from the 'Riser' album) are all about the loss of a family member. Cole Swindell and Alan Jackson also penned songs after losing their fathers. One became a hit, while the other has yet to hit.

Watch as Dukes talks about the dangers of releasing a personal song too quickly. Then, subscribe to the ToC YouTube channel by hitting the button below.