Lee Brice Snatches Song of the Year for ‘I Drive Your Truck’ at 2013 CMA Awards
In a surprising showdown, country singer Lee Brice snatched the award for Song of the Year at the 2013 CMAs, beating out some stiff competition with the poignant and moving 'I Drive Your Truck.'
Jake Owen and Lucy Hale presented the award, and Brice was obviously moved to win the prize up against Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town and Darius Rucker.
He was short and sweet in his thanks, saying, "Y'all. Unbelievable song. First time i heard it, it blew my mind, changed my life. This award is completely about the song and about the writers."
He then handed the mic to Jimmy Yeary, one of the main songwriters, who the award goes to. "Lee is one of the greatest singers on the planet right now, an amazing singer," Yeary said.
The song has an incredible backstory, as it was written for Sergeant First Class Jared Monti, who gave his life in Afghanistan. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for running out three times into a barrage of bullets and grenades, according to BMI, and on his last attempt to save a fellow soldier, he was killed. His father, Paul Monti, coped with his grief by driving his son's truck. And from there, Lee's 'I Drive Your Truck' was born.
At the end of Yeary's speech, he lifted up the shiny award, looked up, and said, "Thank you so much Jared, for what you did for this country, man."