“Humble and Kind” Is First Solo-Written Song to Hit #1 in 4 Years
It’s the best of times, and the worst of times in country music. While pop artists and country artists singing pop are infiltrating the genre like never before and finding traction with terrible radio singles, Chris Stapleton remains one of the biggest artists in country with no radio play, and outlier radio singles continue to surprise.
Tim McGraw may seem like an unlikely radio hero for those hoping for country to turn a page after the Bro-Country era, but he continues to be one of the few artists with the guts to release meaningful songs as singles, and one of the few that fat cat radio programmers will actually give a chance to. Releasing the song “Humble and Kind” as the second single from his current album Damn Country Music was bold stroke in itself. Most likely Tim and his label were hoping it would end up in the Top 10, and keep Tim on radio’s radar for a little while longer. But this week it notched #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, and that’s not the only positive distinction for the song.
Written solely by female songwriter Lori McKenna, “Humble and Kind” becomes the first #1 country song written by one person in more than four years. In this era when everything is written by a committee of three or more, and the expressions of female artists are generally stifled, this is quite the feat. The last person to write a song by themselves and have it end up at #1 was another female, Taylor Swift with her song “Ours.” Another illustration of just how rare the feat is, out of the entire 60-song Country Airplay chart this week, “Humble and Kind” is the only current single written by one person.
It also comes at an opportune time for Lori McKenna. She is getting ready to release a new album The Bird & The Rifle via Thirty Tigers on July 29th. Her own version of “Humble and Kind” is included on the track list.
June 14, 2016 @ 6:45 pm
Congrats to Tim McGraw! Now he needs to release Damn Country Music as the next single!
June 15, 2016 @ 9:52 am
“How I’ll Always Be” has already been announced as the third single.
I do agree, though, that the title track is one of the best remaining bets.
June 15, 2016 @ 2:41 pm
“Damn Country Music” is a solid album, and the title track, I agree is one of the best songs on the collection. I’d also say “Love Runs” is a strong song with single potential. The production may be a tad heavy handed at parts, but I really like that song a lot.
I do hope McGraw avoids songs like “Truck Yeah” and “Lookin’ For That Girl” going forward. Those songs are so far beneath him and he’s capable of so much more and capable of being a veteran leader of the current mainstream crop.
June 14, 2016 @ 6:52 pm
Interesting.
It sort of begs the question: What/when was the last country #1 hit to be solo-written and performed by a male artist?
June 14, 2016 @ 7:12 pm
‘God Gave Me You’ by Blake Shelton written by Dave Barnes hit #1 in October 2011. Before that I think it’s ‘Country Boy’ by Alan Jackson in early 2009.
June 14, 2016 @ 7:16 pm
For some perspective Merle Haggard had 20 #1 songs that he solo wrote and performed.
June 15, 2016 @ 11:03 am
That guy is incredible. Not many lived the life he did but his songs were so accessible across generations.
June 14, 2016 @ 7:54 pm
Last five McGraw singles:
Humble and Kind
Top of the World
Diamond Rings and Old Barstools
Shotgun Rider
Meanwhile, Back at Mama’s
As Trigger has mentioned before, Tim McGraw has really stood against all the nonsense coming out of Nashville lately. Thank goodness for him!
June 14, 2016 @ 9:26 pm
I agree, while I didn’t care for Top of The World, McGraw has found his footing as the guy recording deeper material after he delved into the bro-Country arena with some of the worst Country singles ever.
McGraw deserves credit for turning that ship around, but it does say a lot about the state of Country radio when Tim freakin McGraw is about the only “big name” artist recording good to decently written songs. If you had told me 10 years ago that Tim McGraw would be the “torch bearer” for new traditional Country music at radio in 2016 I probably would have laughed at you.
June 15, 2016 @ 7:04 am
Top of the World does nothing for me, and I’m not a huge fan of Humble and Kind, although it’s decent enough. But the other 3 are quite good. After Truck Yeah and Lookin’ for That Girl, I had written Tim McGraw off. I’m happy to have been wrong. Hope the trend continues.
June 15, 2016 @ 10:18 am
After seemingly trying to bend to the state of country with things like “Felt Good On My Lips” or whatever that was called, it’s nice to see the about face and hear the change-of-pace songs he’s releasing. Gotta hand it to him… he’s had ups and downs, but overall a great career and amazing longevity.
June 14, 2016 @ 8:31 pm
Yes! I love Lori McKenna. So glad Tim and his team have been choosing quality songs and ditched his short-lived bro phase…
June 15, 2016 @ 11:05 am
She has quite a list of songs she’s written or co-writ. I checked it out on wiki. Very impressive and best wishes to her for the future.
June 14, 2016 @ 9:03 pm
i love this song one of the only songs on country radio that stands out and even after hearing it every day for months i’m still not tired of it and the lyrics are real and powerful i’m guessing this is a shoe in for song of the year at the cma’s now
June 14, 2016 @ 9:23 pm
great song with honest and inspiring lyrics
curious to see what the next single will be i’m thinking the title track
June 14, 2016 @ 9:33 pm
First heard the song 2 weeks ago at my sister’s anniversary, not a huge Tim fan but have to admit the lyrics are pretty powerful.
June 14, 2016 @ 9:34 pm
great song with real and inspiring lyrics
curious to see what the next single is i’m thinking the title track or how i’ll always be
June 14, 2016 @ 10:08 pm
It is a nice song with a great message, but I definitely prefer the Lori McKenna live acoustic version at the Opry – two guitars and vocal harmony; beautiful and organic to match the straight forward lyrical message. Tim McGraw’s version is borderline over dramatic with those goofy keyboard tracks and terribly over produced drum sound. OK, yeah, its better than most of the other garbage on the music charts and on radio, but…I’d like to see McKenna with that song at number 1.
June 15, 2016 @ 11:07 am
Vince Gill said on a country family reunion show that he liked reducing a song just to an acoustic guitar, you could find the heart of the song better.
June 16, 2016 @ 9:05 pm
Good insight! Thank you!
June 15, 2016 @ 3:34 am
Couldn’t have happened to a more talented or nicer person- Congrats Lori. So much better than Truck Yeah. LOL. Nice especially now to have a positive sing getting lots of radio play.
June 15, 2016 @ 5:15 am
Shows how pessimistic I’ve grown of country radio when I didn’t even think this would be a hit, much less a single. I’m incredibly happy for Tin and most of all Lori.
In other news Tim’s next single is “How I’ll Always Be”. Not a world – beater but it continues the streak of traditional sounding music from Tim.
June 15, 2016 @ 10:55 am
The lyrics are quite underwhelming in “How I’ll Always Be” (especially the “trendy crap” one), but it still stands out in being second only to “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” in terms of recent singles of his with traditional-influenced production treatments.
So the fact the production fits the statement of remaining true to his roots makes this sound authentic and, thus, stand out (even if he HAS pandered to “trendy crap” in the past).
“California” was the most tailor-made-for-radio pick remaining among the choices, but I’m glad they’ve went with another neo-traditional informed offering.
June 15, 2016 @ 9:45 am
While I’m not a big fan, this is why I’ve always respected Taylor Swift. She has writen her own stuff, and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. I’ll always give a bonus point or two to music written by the artist. I’m also excited Lori McKenna’s record. In general I think the women in country music right now are far superior artistically to the men, maybe because they’ve given up on radio airplay, and are therefore not as bound by its restraints.
June 15, 2016 @ 10:13 am
Congrats to all involved…. such a great song, not only in its message, but in its simplicity and in the way it hopefully provides some of the folks running country radio into the ground the guts to go against market trends and release something, anything, other than mindless, soulless, heartless dreck we’ve been force-fed for so long. This is one of those songs that would hold up across decades… It’s nice to see one find footing in today’s climate.
June 15, 2016 @ 10:30 am
Tim seems to be doing things right.
I also like the fact he acts his age with his music.
June 15, 2016 @ 1:03 pm
As a parent, the lyrics in this song mean alot. Years back, in my early 20’s, I would have found it sappy and corny. Not anymore. Good tune.
June 15, 2016 @ 7:35 pm
Dang straight. Awesome
June 15, 2016 @ 9:04 pm
I LOVE Lori McKenna . Great honesty in her records AND her own vocal performances of her songs.
Humble and Kind is , in my opinion , incredibly over rated . Its a list song of ‘ DO THIS , DON’T DO THAT ‘ …boring and predictable and McGraw’s over -the -top arrangement/production is incongruous with the simple little narrative . That said , I understand the song’s popularity and I appreciate that it wasn’t another ” Truck Yeah ” or some nonsense about re-fried beans . TM records some of the absolute BEST material around. Unfortunately most of it is album cuts and not radio-friendly by today’s radio ‘ standards ‘. Its great that he’s releasing some country material of late …great for trad fans and great as an introduction to it for the younger ‘ country’ fans who think Sam Hunt and Luke represent the genre . Hopefully , though , this particular song will encourage folks to explore the far better stuff on his albums .
June 15, 2016 @ 9:25 pm
“Humble and Kind” is not some breakthrough, amazing song. But what’s breakthrough and amazing is that it’s now a #1 in country in 2016. Lori McKenna cracked the code of how to write a good song and get it to be successful, and Tim McGraw was its champion.
June 16, 2016 @ 5:47 pm
Hear ya Trigger …and Lori McKenna certainly deserves having her tunes cut and having them get mainstream exposure . And yeah …AMAZING that a REAL country song about real stuff is actually acknowledged as such with a Number 1 . We shouldn’t be surprised in the least ….and yet given the state of things at radio ..we are indeed . Then again , I believe its inevitable that with all of the GREAT songs and great artists out there we should be seeing a few squeak through the door more regularly . You can’t keep ALL of these talents down . One way or another they’ll find exposure .
June 16, 2016 @ 3:11 pm
This is good news. For songwriters, fans, everyone. I finally caught the song on the radio a few weeks ago and I really liked it. It sounds like I would probably like Lori McKenna’s stripped down version better, but Tim’s was nice. I’m still pretty cynical about mainstream country radio, but it’s nice to know that the whole combination can happen still. A country singer with longevity, a song that is uplifting, a respected female songwriter and a sole individual songwriter at that. Merle and Guy are looking down and smiling. Well, at least, for now.
June 16, 2016 @ 3:23 pm
good
October 15, 2019 @ 1:03 pm
How can I get my song to Tim McGraw