Bless the Broken Road
{{Short description|Popular country song first recorded by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Bless the Broken Road
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
| album = Acoustic
| released = 1994
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=50}}
| label = Liberty
| writer = Marcus Hummon
Bobby Boyd
Jeff Hanna
| producer = Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Bless the Broken Road
| cover =
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Marcus Hummon
| album = All in Good Time
| released = September 5, 1995
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=09}}
| label = Columbia
| writer = Marcus Hummon
Bobby Boyd
Jeff Hanna
| producer = Monroe Jones
}}
"Bless the Broken Road" is a song that has been recorded by several American country music artists. Co-written by Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd, and Jeff Hanna in 1994, it tells how the journey through relationship heartbreak and disappointment was an important series of lessons along the broken road to finding one’s true love. It was first recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1994, followed by Hummon on his 1995 album All in Good Time.
Since then, many artists have recorded the song, with Rascal Flatts' version being the highest-charting, becoming a number 1 hit on the Billboard country music charts in 2005 and earning the songwriters a Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
History
Singer-songwriter Marcus Hummon co-wrote the song with Jeff Hanna (of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) and Bobby Boyd. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded it for the 1994 album Acoustic. One year later, Hummon covered the song for his debut album All in Good Time for Columbia Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1497995/rascal-flatts-takes-bow-for-broken-road.jhtml|title=Rascal Flatts Takes Bow for "Broken Road"|last=Morris|first=Edward|date=10 March 2005|work=CMT|access-date=24 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091012101112/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1497995/rascal-flatts-takes-bow-for-broken-road.jhtml|archive-date=2009-10-12|url-status=dead}} His rendition includes backing vocals from Hanna and Matraca Berg.{{cite AV media notes |title=All in Good Time |others=Marcus Hummon |year=1995 |type=CD booklet |publisher=Columbia Records |id=66124}} Michael McCall of New Country magazine thought that Hummon's rendition was the best track on the album.{{cite journal|last=McCall|first=New Country|date=November 1995|title=Album reviews|journal=New Country|volume=2|issue=14|pages=57–58|issn=1074-536X}}
Sons of the Desert recorded its own version of the song, for a planned second album on Epic Records that would have been released in 1998. This album was not released, due to a dispute between the band and its label.{{cite web |url=http://countrymusic.about.com/od/songwriters/a/sng_mhummon.htm |title=Matt's Songwriter Spotlight - Marcus Hummon |access-date=24 September 2010 |last=Bjorke |first=Matt |work=About.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080508140954/http://countrymusic.about.com/od/songwriters/a/sng_mhummon.htm |archive-date=2008-05-08 |url-status=live }}
Since then, many artists have recorded the song including Deborah Joy Winans, Melodie Crittenden, Geoff Moore, Selah, Jamie Slocum, Carrie Underwood, Buddy Greene, Boyce Avenue, and Rascal Flatts.
Melodie Crittenden version
{{Infobox song
| name = Broken Road
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Melodie Crittenden
| album = Melodie Crittenden
| released = January 1998
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:52
| label = Asylum #9945
| writer = Marcus Hummon
Bobby Boyd
Jeff Hanna
| producer = Byron Gallimore
Stephony Smith
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = I Should've Known
| next_year = 1998
}}
Also in 1998, Melodie Crittenden recorded the song under the title "Broken Road" and included it on her self-titled debut album for Asylum Records. Released as the first of two singles from it, this version was a number 42 single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts.{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2008|page=107|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}
This version was featured on an episode of Dawson's Creek.
=Critical reception=
Billboard gave Crittenden's version a positive review in the January 17, 1998, issue, calling it "sheer poetry with a moving message."{{cite magazine|date=17 January 1998|title=Singles|magazine=Billboard|page=66|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rg0EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22bill+engvall%22+%22it%27s+hard+to+be+a+parent%22&pg=RA1-PA66}}
=Chart positions=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1998) !align="center"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canadacountry|48|chartid=3501|publishdate=March 30, 1998|access-date=July 14, 2013}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|42|artist=Melodie Crittenden}} |
{{Clear}}
Rascal Flatts version
{{Infobox song
| name = Bless the Broken Road
| cover = Bless the broken road.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Rascal Flatts
| album = Feels Like Today
| released = November 1, 2004
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:46 (Album Version)
3:38 (Single Version)
| label = Lyric Street
| writer =
- Marcus Hummon
- Bobby Boyd
- Jeff Hanna
| producer =
- Mark Bright
- Rascal Flatts
- Marty Williams
| prev_title = Feels Like Today
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = Fast Cars and Freedom
| next_year = 2005
}}
The highest-charting rendition is by the country music group Rascal Flatts, who cut the song for the Feels Like Today album. Released in November 2004, this version spent five weeks at number one on Hot Country Singles & Tracks. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Country SongWhitburn, p. 339 and earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The song topped the 2 million mark in paid downloads on September 18, 2010. It's Rascal Flatts' third song to reach that mark, following "Life Is a Highway" and "What Hurts the Most".{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-sept-5-2010-rihanna-leads-the-pack.html|title=Week Ending Sept. 5, 2010: Rihanna Leads The Pack|work=Chart Watch|access-date=6 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925175731/http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-sept-5-2010-rihanna-leads-the-pack.html|archive-date=25 September 2013}} As of January 2020, the song has sold 3,719,000 copies in the US.{{cite web |last=Bjorke |first=Matt |title=Top 30 Digital Country Songs Chart: January 7, 2020|url=http://roughstock.com/news/2020/01/44075-top-30-digital-country-songs-chart-january-7-2020 |work=Rough Stock |date=January 7, 2020 |access-date=January 8, 2020}}
On May 25, 2005, during a live performance on American Idol by Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts,{{Cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-05-25-idol-final-results_x.htm |title=USA Today Underwood Wins Idol |website=USA Today |access-date=2017-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225045811/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-05-25-idol-final-results_x.htm |archive-date=2011-12-25 |url-status=live }} an additional version was recorded. While not in wide release, and never included on an album, the version received enough radio airplay to enter the country music charts at number 50.
In 2009, an acoustic version recorded by Rascal Flatts was included in the soundtrack of Hannah Montana: The Movie.
On May 19, 2012, "Bless the Broken Road" debuted at number 76 and went to number 41 next week on the UK Singles chart (The Official Charts Company), the band's first and only appearance on the chart.
On February 26, 2020, the song received renewed attention after California-based artist RMR sampled the piano melody for his debut song "Rascal". The song and music video would go on to be a viral hit.{{cite magazine |last1=Holmes |first1=Charles |title=RMR's Rascal Flatts Homage 'Rascal' Is a Viral Hit — As Long As It Can Stay Online |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rmr-rascal-rascal-flatts-viral-959688/ |magazine=Rolling Stone|date=2 March 2020 }}
=Song information=
Rascal Flatts' version of the song is set in the key of C major, with a vocal range from C{{sub|3}} to A{{sub|4}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0048698&|title="Bless the Broken Road" sheet music|work=Musicnotes.com|date=17 January 2005 |access-date=18 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223084604/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0048698&|archive-date=2011-12-23|url-status=live}}
=Charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (2004–2012) !align="center"|Peak |
| align="left"|Canada Country (Radio & Records){{cite web |title=Canada Country Top 30 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-02-18.pdf |website=Radio & Records |accessdate=December 30, 2019 |page=45 |date=February 18, 2005}}
|align="center"|1 |
| {{singlechart|Ireland|35|week=20|year=2012|access-date=2012-09-23}} |
| {{singlechart|Sweden|58|artist=Rascal Flatts|song=Bless The Broken Road|access-date=2012-09-23}} |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company){{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=Singles Top 40 from the Official UK Charts Company |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=May 15, 2012 }}
| style="text-align:center;"|41 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Rascal Flatts|artistid=395934}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|29|artist=Rascal Flatts|artistid=395934}} |
| US Billboard Pop 100
|align="center"|40 |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|20|artist=Rascal Flatts|artistid=395934}} |
| align="left"|Chart (2005)
!align="center"|Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|50|artist=Carrie Underwood|note=Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts version|access-date=May 17, 2018}} |
{{Clear}}
==Year-end charts==
=Certifications and sales=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=United Kingdom |award=Silver |title=Bless the Broken Road |artist=Rascal Flatts |type=single |certyear=2022 |relyear=2007 |id= 17846-4704-1 |access-date=February 4, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=United States |award=Platinum |title=Bless the Broken Road |artist=Rascal Flatts |type=single |certyear=2007 |relyear=2004 |salesamount=3,719,000 |salesref=}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Selah version
{{Infobox song
| name = Bless the Broken Road
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Selah with Melodie Crittenden
| album = Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album
| released = March 2006
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Contemporary Christian music
| length = 4:10
| label = Curb
| writer = Marcus Hummon
Bobby Boyd
Jeff Hanna
| producer = Allan Hall, Jason Kyle, Todd D. Smith
| chronology = Selah
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Hosanna
| next_year = 2009
}}
Selah, a contemporary Christian music band, covered the song in 2006 on the album Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album featuring a duet vocal from Crittenden.{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r847374|pure_url=yes}}|title=Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album|work=Allmusic|access-date=24 September 2010}} Also released as a single, Selah's version peaked at number five on the Hot Christian Songs charts.
=Charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (2006) !align="center"|Peak |
| align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Songs{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=selah|chart=Christian Songs}}|title=Chart history for Selah|magazine=Billboard|access-date=24 September 2010}}
|align="center"|5 |
=Accolades=
In 2007, this version of the song was nominated for a Dove Award for Song of the Year at the 38th GMA Dove Awards.[http://christianmusic.about.com/od/doves/a/gma07awards.htm 38th Annual GMA Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426230343/http://christianmusic.about.com/od/doves/a/gma07awards.htm |date=2009-04-26 }} on About.com
{{clear}}
Film adaptation
A feature film based on the song, titled God Bless the Broken Road, began filming in 2015, and was originally announced to be released in 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nfl-great-ladainian-tomlinson-star-movie-based-country-song-960209 |title=NFL Great LaDainian Tomlinson to Star in Movie Based on Country Song |first=Paul |last=Bond |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=2017-01-03 |access-date=2018-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620002135/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nfl-great-ladainian-tomlinson-star-movie-based-country-song-960209 |archive-date=2018-06-20 |url-status=live }} The actual release was September 7, 2018.{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/kim-delaney-jordin-sparks-god-bless-the-broken-road-movie-1201757277/ |title=Kim Delaney, Jordin Sparks Join 'God Bless The Broken Road' |first=Anita |last=Busch |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=2016-05-16 |access-date=2018-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620002337/https://deadline.com/2016/05/kim-delaney-jordin-sparks-god-bless-the-broken-road-movie-1201757277/ |archive-date=2018-06-20 |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Nitty Gritty Dirt Band}}
{{Sons of the Desert}}
{{Rascal Flatts singles}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Country Song}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Melodie Crittenden songs
Category:Nitty Gritty Dirt Band songs
Category:Carrie Underwood songs
Category:Sons of the Desert (band) songs
Category:Songs written by Marcus Hummon
Category:Lyric Street Records singles
Category:Asylum Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Bright (record producer)
Category:Songs written by Jeff Hanna