Lee Brice Honors Late Friend Kyle Jacobs With Special Song [Listen]
Lee Brice is honoring his friend and co-writer, Kyle Jacobs, by releasing a song they worked on together as a single. "Save the Roses" — which Brice co-wrote with Jacobs and Joe Leathers — is a track filled with comfort and hope after the death of a loved one.
The song is written from the point of view of the deceased as they eavesdrop on their funeral. While they appreciate all of the efforts that went into the affair, it's all unnecessary, given that they are enjoying a new life in heaven. The main character urges them to say goodbye and get back to living, because life is too precious to be wasted.
"You should be fishing / With a cold beer in your hand / Instead of missing me here / Y'all should be missing me there / High up in your deer stand / Save my truck and save my guns / And when thеy're old enough / Give 'еm to my sons / Don't let this stained glass / Shine on y'all too long today / And save the roses, save the roses / Don't waste them on me," Brice sings in the chorus.
"Save the Roses" is featured on Brice's Hey World album. After Jacobs' death, the song takes on a deeper, spiritual meaning. It has a new posthumous autobiographical feel. Brice and his label — whom Jacobs worked for — opted to release the song in lieu of a new track from an upcoming album.
The "I Drive Your Truck" singer shared his heartbreak on social media after Jacobs' death, calling Jacobs "my brother, my friend, my mentor."
"These past few days have truly been some of the hardest of my life," he writes. "At times, I feel lost and buried under this deep sadness. Other times, I sit and remember all the times with Kyle that bring me comfort and make me smile. He was, without a doubt, one of the best people anyone could ever hope to have in their corner…I am eternally grateful for having him in mine. I’ll keep Kellie, his family and everyone who was touched by him close to my heart."
"I’ll miss you til we meet again..I love you, brother," he adds.
Jacobs died in an apparent suicide on Friday, Feb. 17. In addition to being a musician and songwriter in Nashville, he was married to Kellie Pickler for nearly 12 years. The pair starred in their own reality show I Love Kellie Pickler, which aired on CMT for three seasons. Pickler has yet to make a statement about her husband's death.