This song describes how the process of getting over a past relationship can eventually lead to a better love. The lost loves are like stars, which point their way to the one who is truly best. These stars direct you down a road that was blessed by God, who was the one that lead you to the love.
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Suggestion credit:
Landon - Winchester, OH
This song was originally recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their 1994 album Acoustic. The first version to be released as a single came out in 1998 by the country singer Melodie Crittenden under the title "Broken Road." Her recording reached #42 on the singles chart. In 2006 she recorded the song a second time as a member of the gospel group Selah.
Crittenden commented on the song: "I got married to an amazing man at the age of 34. It isn't that I didn't want to settle down before that, I just hadn't met 'the one.' It seems society kind of puts a stigma on those that are single and 30-something or 40-something. Let me tell you, don't listen to everyone else. God's timing is perfect! He has a plan for each and everyone of us. 'Bless the Broken Road' talks about all the different roads one goes down to find their true love. It could also be about how you met your best friend or how you found the Lord. When I would get lonely and frustrated, waiting on my husband to come along, I always tried to remind myself of one very important thing. God is in control! He's always been there and always will be. I am so thankful I handed God the reigns because, with Him, I knew I'd go down the right path."
Selah's version was the title track of Bless the Broken Road – The Duets Album, which won the 2007 Dove award for Best Inspirational Album.
Rascal Flatts recorded the song for their Feels Like Today album. Released in November 2004, this version spent five weeks at #1 on the Country chart. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Jeff Hanna recalled to The Boot: "Rascal Flatts toyed with recording it on their first album, and they put it on hold for their second album. It had over 150 holds, and it got to be a running gag with us. In 2004, Brooks & Dunn had it on hold, and they were about to cut it, and I found out Rascal Flatts finally cut it. Then we got a call that said, 'Not only did we cut your song, but it's the next single!'"
Rascal Flatts' version won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
The song became Rascal Flatts' first UK chart entry in 2012 after being covered by contestant Sam Kelly in the final of the talent show Britain's Got Talent.
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This was written by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Jeff Hanna with songwriters Bobby Boyd and Marcus Hummon. Hanna recalled the story of the song to The Boot: "In 1994, when Matraca [Berg] and I got back from our honeymoon, Marcus and I got together to write," he said. "Marcus' wife, Becca Stevens, had actually married Matraca and me. We got to talking about the circuitous route you take in life and how sometimes you think things are horrible and are never going to get better, but they lead you to something that ultimately is a lot better, whether it's a relationship, spiritual path, business or whatever."
"He sat down and said, 'I've got this idea,' and he sang me this piano intro, which is essentially what you heard on the Rascal Flatts record," Hanna continued. "He had a little outline going already, and we wrote most of it in a couple of hours."
"After that," he added, "Marcus said to me, 'I got this inspiration from a conversation from a songwriter friend of mine named Bobby Boyd, and I think we should include Bobby as an author on the song.'"
"Late winter of '94, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was doing the record called 'Acoustic' in Colorado, and we recorded this simple, little song," he concluded, "and we have played it almost nightly since we recorded it."
Rascal Flatts were originally pitched "Bless the Broken Road" for their 2002 album Melt, but at that time they felt they had enough ballads. By the time they were recording for their next album, 2004's Feels Like Today, the trio had forgotten about the tune, but while they were working on that record, Jay DeMarcus found the demo for the song while cleaning out his car. After playing it, he told his bandmates he thought they should reconsider recording the track.
Carrie Underwood sang this with Rascal Flatts on the season finale of American Idol on May 25, 2005. Later in the show, she was declared the winner, becoming the first country singer to win the competition.
