Last weeks’ Chain Gang entry ‘Rhinestoned’ flags up the co-writing credit to “the impeccable Lori McKenna”, and as a huge fan of her writing where else could I go this week. With a ‘A’ list of songs including ‘Girl Crush‘, co-written with her regular collaborators Hillary Lindsay and Liz Rose, known as ‘The Love Junkies’, and artist co-writes including Angeleena Presley, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark and The Cadillac Three, McKenna is a writer on top of her game, and an excellent artist in her own right, with eleven solo albums.
‘Humble and Kind’ featured on her solo release ‘The Bird and the Rifle’, nominated for Best Americana Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards and that’s the version I’ve chosen, though it’s better known for the more mainstream country version by Tim McGraw, which won the Grammy for Best Country Song in 2017. Her recording lets the simple but resonant message shine through, as she sings “Don’t take for granted the love this life gives you/When you get where you’re going turn right back around/And help the next one in line/Always stay humble and kind”.
