12. He Bore It All

Dailey & Vincent

Above the lyrics themselves for “He Bore It All”, my father inscribed that the song was to be preceded by a spoken introduction of the scripture Matthew 11:28. I reached out to Willie Nelson and asked him if he would be willing to recite the verse.

from his days as a boy, singing as he worked in the cotton fields, to the very last days of his life.

He was honored to do so. I had worked with Dailey and Vincent before, and believed they were the perfect choice to take on the creation of music for my father’s lyric. Gospel music was always my father’s favorite, and this was a steady line throughout his life, from his days as a boy, singing as he worked in the cotton fields, to the very last days of his life. Gospel music was his life’s blood.

There was no music more important to Dad than gospel, and his bluegrass gospel collection was extensive. Dailey and Vincent, to me, are as talented a bluegrass vocal group as any. The energy and excitement of the track, He Bore It All for Me, ties in perfectly to the band, lyrically and musically.