Brantley Gilbert’s latest song, “One Hell of an Amen,” tells the story of two men, including one named Jonathan Lutens, who was a friend of a friend who lost his life while fighting for our country in Iraq. Brantley first learned about Jonathan from his friend Josh Green when Josh returned from overseas. Brantley explains, “One of my best friends, Josh Green, he went and did four tours in Iraq and Jonathan Lutens was his best friend over there and he actually watched the IED hit John’s Hum V and watched the whole thing go down. Josh had some trouble when he got back home, adjustin’ to comin’ back here and we hung out a lot and he told a lot a stories, and I don’t know why, but he felt comfortable talkin’ to me.”
While normally Brantley only writes about life experiences that he has personally been through he says, “When he shared this one, it was a lot a detail, and I try not to write songs about things I hadn’t been through, or I wasn’t a part of, but I really felt like the way Josh told me the story I could see the emotion and almost like I was there. It was as close as I could be to bein’ there.”
One Hell of an Amen is off of Brantley’s latest album, Just as I Am.
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Brantley Gilbert – soldier in song :45
“One of my best friends, Josh Green, he went and did four tours in Iraq and Jonathan Lutens was his best friend over there and he actually watched the IED hit John’s Hum V and watched the whole thing go down. Josh had some trouble when he got back home, adjustin’ to comin’ back here and we hung out a lot and he told a lot a stories, and I don’t know why, but he felt comfortable talkin’ to me. When he shared this one, it was a lot a detail, and I try not to write songs about things I hadn’t been through, or I wasn’t a part of, but I really felt like the way Josh told me the story I could see the emotion and almost like I was there. It was as close as I could be to bein’ there.”
WHAT HE’S DOING THIS WEEK – MARCH 2, 2015 – MONDAY
Brantley Gilbert is still in Europe playing shows for fans abroad. Just before leaving, he got two guns tattooed on his back. He’ll be back in the states in a little over a week.
BRANTLEY GILBERT – THE FACTS
BIRTH DATE: January 20, 1985 (He’s 30)
HOMETOWN: Jefferson, Georgia
PARENTS: Becky Gilbert
DEBUT SINGLE VALORY: “Kick It In The Sticks” – 2010
DEBUT ALBUM: Modern Day Prodigal Son – 2009
CURRENT ALBUM: Just As I Am – RELEASED: May 19, 2014
CURRENT SINGLE: “One Hell Of An Amen” sits in the Top 40 on Mediabase this week.
GRAND OLE OPRY DEBUT: August 2012
CURRENT TOUR: His own “Let It Ride Tour”
LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2014 – “One Hell Of An Amen”
RECENT TWEETS:
Brantley Gilbert @BrantleyGilbert · February 25
So when they tell you you’re not supposed to lay on your back…. https://instagram.com/p/ziWszxAmDf/
Brantley Gilbert @BrantleyGilbert · February 24
Here it is…. https://instagram.com/p/zfwJAgAmIC/
Brantley Gilbert @BrantleyGilbert · February 23
So my boy Carl Grace came by… Because it was Monday… https://instagram.com/p/zeChR4AmM2/
BRANTLEY GILBERT – AWARD WINS
2012 – American Country Awards – Breakthrough Artist Single of the Year (“You Don’t Know Her Like I Do”)
2013 – CRS New Faces
2013 – Country Music Awards – CMA Triple Play Award – “Country Must Be Country Wide,” “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do” & “Dirt Road Anthem”
2013 – Academy Of Country Music Awards – Top New Male Artist
2014 – American Music Awards – Favorite Country Album – Brantley Gilbert – Just As I Am