Of all the virtues of a Christian, gratitude is chief.
When Brian Keith Wallen toured through Colorado last September, he and I spent several days and played several shows together. Sitting in my living room the first night of his visit, he played this song. Something about it clicked, and we quickly found a groove with it.
We added it to our set lists for the weekend, and when we visited Sawtelle Studio at Swallow Hill Music, we recorded it. Grateful Heart became one of the tracks on our live in studio album, Mountain Roads.
Brian also had an album project in the works, Going Back Home, soon to be released. Although he originally intended to include our Denver recording on his new album, the song fit the groove of the record better at a slower tempo. Randy McQuay added a fantastic harmonica solo. Grateful Heart demonstrates how a song can be fluid. Like a liquid, it formed itself to the shape of its container.
Of course Grateful Heart was on the playlist for the Mountain Roads release concert earlier this month. I wanted to offer this video of the release concert performance of Grateful Heart to you. It’s not explicitly Christmas music, but I can’t think of a better season to reflect on the blessings of life and express gratitude.