Brantley Gilbert shared the music video for his emotion-filled track, “Gone But Not Forgotten,” which the Georgia native says he’s “extremely proud of.”
The clip, shared on Tuesday (Nov. 9), opens with Gilbert and his Grandpa, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 82, after a 20+ year battle with COPD and emphysema.
As the “extremely important” music video continues, it features Gilbert singing at his grandfather’s grave site intertwined with photos of precious memories that Gilbert has shared with loved ones, including road crew & family members, who are no longer with us.
“It’s about remembering the legacies of those we love, appreciate and respect,” Gilbert explained of the video. ”Those people who we’ve loved and loved but who left legacies behind and with Veterans Day coming up.”
Gilbert continued, “with Veterans Day around the corner, it felt right to honor all those who have served with an official music video for ‘Gone But Not Forgotten.’ We got to pay tribute to my grandfather and all those brave men and women who have fought to protect us back home. Can’t thank Brian Vaughan enough for shooting and directing a video I’m so proud to share with y’all.”
Watch the music video below.
Filmed by CMT award-winning director Brian Keith Vaughn at Gilbert’s 7500 square foot garage dubbed The Doghouse, the music video also feature medals given to him by military veterans, which he holds close to his heart and are a part of his shadow bar inside his infamous Doghouse.
“For all those we loved and lost. We miss you, and we’ll see you again,” the clip concluded.
The country hitmaker first debuted the song as a work tape in late August when he honored the “folks we’ve lost, both overseas and in our own communities here at home.”
The song also honored the “13 brave American heroes [who] made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom” in Afghanistan. The 13 military members who lost their lives in the line of duty following an attack on Thursday, August 26, at an airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed 13 and wounded at least 18 others. The tragic day now which now marks one of the deadliest days for American Troops in over 10 years.
The song serves as a tribute to his grandfather and to those who lost their lives while fighting for our country.
“I wrote this song a while back as a tribute to all the folks we’ve lost, both overseas and in our own communities here at home,” Gilbert shared of the track.
Gilbert hopes the song will resonate with fans during these difficult times we live in. “Wanted to share it with y’all in hopes it might resonate with someone who needs to hear it right now,” Gilbert added.
“Gone But Not Forgotten” is expected to appear on Gilbert’s forthcoming yet-to-be announced new album.
This isn’t the first time Gilbert has paid tribute to the military within his music, as Gilbert previously shared “One Hell Of An Amen,” which was inspired by 25-year-old Army Sgt. Jonathan E. Lootens’ 2006 death in Iraq.
“Servicemen and servicewomen are heroes, and I believe the families they leave behind in order to serve are the unsung heroes,” Gilbert previously told We Are the Mighty in April. “They’re also making sacrifices to ensure our health and safety. I wanted to make sure they knew that we appreciate them just as much as we appreciate those in the uniform.”
