My story begins in 1987, the 21st of June
I was given my great great grandmom's name
Born the fourth child of my mother, two older sisters,
and one older brother.
There I was in the middle of a love, couldn't ask for
anything better.
Mama said she saw it in me from the time I started
talking, I was making up my own melodies
And this is me.
We call my younger brother a miracle child 'cause the
doctors told my mother that he would not survive, and
if he did, he'd never walk or talk, or be like a normal
boy.
Well, sitting on the back road of that little baptist
church, my daddy mentioned Jesus and he washed away the
dirt and he said "father like you healed me I have
faith that you can heal my little boy"
And when nine months came and went, even the doctor was
surprised because he wiggled all his little toes and
made my mama cry
'cause a little boy who wasn't ever supposed to be
he gave us all a reason to believe
And this is me
I was raised on an open road
where the corn don't always grow for the corn man
And I don't claim that there's a lot I know, but I do
know who I am.
Daddy bought my first guitar when I was thirteen and I
remember (raising a cane?) because it made my fingers
bleed
But with a pencil and a piece of paper, I wrote my
first song
And I dreamed of being somewhere where my music could
be heard so I practiced every country song and I picked
these strings until it hurt.
In the summer of my eighteenth year we loaded up and
moved to Tennessee.
And this is me.
I was raised on an open road
where the corn don't always grow for the corn man
And I don't claim that there's a lot I know, but I do
know who I am
Everyday I'm learning more about who I'm becoming
And I write my life in these songs that I sing
It's how it always gonna be
And this is me, this is me.