Tucker Beathard’s Heartfelt ‘I Ain’t Without You’ Is for His Late Brother [Watch]
Tucker Beathard is honoring his late brother Clayton Beathard with a moving new song, "I Ain't Without You."
Beathard's 22-year-old brother died in 2019 after sustaining fatal wounds in a stabbing incident that occurred outside of Nashville bar, the Dogwood, on Dec. 21, 2019. Reportedly, Clayton Beathard and two of his friends interceded when a man made unwanted advancements toward a woman inside of the bar, which led to a physical altercation outside, which is where the stabbing took place.
The singer is now turning the pain of loss into song with the release of "I Ain't Without You." An accompanying music video, which was filmed at the Grand Ole Opry, opens with Beathard making his way into the historic venue, sharing in a voiceover that his younger bother's death was "the biggest shock that's happened; my world's never been rocked like that before." His words lead into the song's first verse, in which he describes how he feels his brother's presence in various ways — in nature, as the sun on his face, or a cool breeze on his skin — or his spirit in the form of the "tug on my heart and the laugh in my head."
"So I keep holdin' on with everything that got me to every piece of your memory / So the world could see / I ain't without you / Let me carry on / Keep movin' on down the road / Let them call me strong / But we both know / I ain't without you," Beathard sings as images and videos of Clay play subtly in the background.
The thoughtful song was co-written by Beathard and his father, renowned songwriter Casey Beathard, and the experience allowed them to process their grief. Beathard debuted the song on the Opry stage two months after his brother's death and recreated the special performance for this video. He shares with Rolling Stone that "I Ain't Without You" is about how faith got him through the most harrowing experience of his life.
"Faith is the only thing to fall back on in a time like this. It puts in perspective how short time really is on Earth, and it drives you to refocus on what’s important. [Clay’s] legacy will be a piece of my art that continues to drive me every day. I just can’t wait to see him again," he says.
"I Ain't Without You" will be featured on Beathard's upcoming album, King, set for release on Aug. 21.
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