Come Back Home was written in the wake of me losing my longtime drummer and former Army soldier John C. Williams.  But the song started off as a reflection of how a military couple deals with separation.  After the release of Come Back Home, John’s little brother was killed by an IED in Iraq.  His name was Blake Williams.  His platoon used this track as the audio to a memorial slide show presentation they did in March of 2008.  It was for all the courageous men and women they had lost in the month of March.  I am humbled by their service to our great country and I hope this song brings them some peace.  My father served in Vietnam and I truly appreciate their dedication and bravery.
–Pat McGee

Thanks to artists like Pat McGee, some music still has an emotional connection behind it.  Not to degrade the lyrics of many popular artists today, but McGee’s Come Back Home has a bit more meaning than, say, Kelly Clarkson’s My Life Would Suck Without You.  Sure, it’s catchy, but why is MLWSWY #27 on the Billboard Charts this week and Pat McGee isn’t listed?

I

don’t

get

it.

After reading McGee’s description of Come Back Home (above), it made me want to listen to it over and over again just to appreciate the meaning behind the lyrics.  Because of the experiences people have brought to the track, the songs sentimental value is amplified.

Regardless of how exceptional the meaning of the lyrics and feeling behind a song may be, one can’t ignore the music the emotions are dancing to.  In this case, McGee’s musicality triumphs, as well.  This holds true for the entirety of his new album, “These Days (The Virginia Sessions).”

Not all of the songs on the album are as sentimental as Come Back Home, but they are certainly backed by years of great experience.  McGee has produced 7 albums, toured for 14 years as a solo artist, duo, and trio as well as with a full band set, and averages about 250 shows a year.

It’s no wonder he’s considered to be one of Rock Ridge Music’s hardest working musicians.

Despite the fame he’s aquired from performing with The Who, Fleetwood Mac or the Counting Crows; regardless of the TV time he got from his band’s performance on NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly,” McGee knows how to give back to those who truly deserve it.  Come Back Home is available for free to all members of the United States Armed Forces.

Click here to learn more about Pat McGee.

Come Back Home by Pat McGee:

[Note to Chicagoland dwellers: Pat McGee will be performing at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen on July 2nd.  Tickets are only $15!]