For as long as I can remember, I’ve always thought music should evoke some sort of emotion – a smile, excitement even hysterical laughter.  One of the best feelings in the world is hearing one of your favorite songs come on the radio, your iTunes or cued up at a bar.  The initial recognition of the first few chords can easily result in a gasp or scream.  You smile and scream your way through those happiness inducing lyrics.  But, when it comes to music, I prefer a solid tear jerker.  No, I’m not a weepy gal.  I’m human and it happens, but I try hard not to let it happen much…or around people, especially around people.  However, if you can write me a song that makes me cry, my heart is yours forever.

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert have done just that with Over You.  For all who missed the CMAs last night, the emotional ballad Over You won Song of the Year.  But, last night was not the first time I heard this song.  In fact, I distinctly remember where I was when I heard it first.  I was driving back from a voice lesson, along a street one block west of my high school.  The song started and I turned it up a bit, drove the length of a few houses and turned it up a bit more.  Came to a stop sign and stayed stopped for much longer than I should have, but I was busy.  I was listening, leaning forward, ear angled towards the speaker.  Normally, I’m not a die hard Miranda Lambert fan.  This song was different.  I was sold the second she surprised me by going down on the word “cold” instead of the expected up.  By the time I finally realized I had been at a stop sign for about 45 seconds, I was singing along with Miranda, teary eyed.  Why?  The song got me.  I didn’t even know what it was about at that point, but the DJ let me know as soon as the song ended.

I have been fortunate enough to never have experienced the loss of a sibling.  Blake Shelton can’t say the same.  The song Over You, sung by his wife Miranda Lambert, is about Shelton’s brother, who was killed in a car accident when Shelton was 14-years-old.  As he said at the CMA Awards last night, his dad encouraged him to write a song about the experience.  For years, he didn’t do it.  Once he wrote the song, he tapped his wife to sing and record it.  Shelton’s dad passed away in January of 2012, and he was awarded the coveted Song of the Year less than a year later.  During the acceptance speech, Shelton said, “I lost my dad in January, and it’s so amazing to me that tonight, even after he’s gone, he’s still right.  I just needed the right person to write this song with, and the right person to sing it.”

I can’t believe I’m thanking someone for making me cry, but…thank you, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, for writing and recording Over You.  I’m actually proud to say you make me teary eyed both when I hear the song, and you two did it again during your acceptance speech.

Watch the acceptance speech, too!

Also, 2 CMA/past HauteThought feature shout outs – congrats to Dave Barnes for being nominated with God Gave me You (recorded by Blake Shelton) – I saw that nice close up they got of you right in the beginning! Also, congrats to Love and Theft for being nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year and New Artist of the Year!