In the summer of 2016, country artist Craig Morgan experienced a heartbreak no parent should ever face—his 19-year-old son, Jerry, tragically lost his life in a tubing accident on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee. The grief was overwhelming, and life would never be the same.
But from that deep sorrow came something extraordinary.
“It was around 2:30 in the morning,” Craig shared. “I was lying in bed when a melody and lyrics just came to me—before I even opened my eyes. I was already singing it in my head.”
That moment sparked the creation of “The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost,” a deeply personal ballad about loss, faith, and the enduring bond between father and son. Craig debuted it at the Grand Ole Opry in July 2019, thinking it might be the only time he’d ever perform it.
But country legend Ricky Skaggs had other thoughts.
“You’ve got to keep singing this,” Ricky told Craig backstage. “The world needs this song.”
Craig listened—and the world did too.
Blake Shelton Steps In With a Mission
Moved by the raw emotion in the song, Blake Shelton—Craig’s longtime friend—launched a heartfelt campaign to bring it the attention it deserved. He posted passionately on Twitter, urging fans to download the song and push it to the top of the iTunes charts.
“I don’t care if it knocks my own song off the charts,” Blake tweeted. “This is the most important song on Earth right now. Let’s get Craig to No. 1.”
And it worked.
Radio stations played it. Fans rallied. And soon, “The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost” soared to No. 1 on iTunes—an incredible achievement for an independently released track.
“Congratulations @cmorganmusic. This one’s for Jerry,” Blake wrote in a touching follow-up post.
Craig responded with gratitude:
“Blake Shelton, you are a true friend and a champion for country music. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
A Moment to Remember on The Kelly Clarkson Show
The emotional journey reached another unforgettable peak when Craig performed the song live on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Just before taking the stage, Kelly revealed a surprise—Blake Shelton was sitting in the audience alongside her and actress Eva Mendes.
As Craig sang, pouring every ounce of feeling into the performance, the room fell silent. His voice cracked with emotion. The lyrics echoed through the studio like a prayer.
By the end, Kelly, Blake, and Eva were all wiping away tears—on their feet, overwhelmed by the sincerity of the moment.
“That wasn’t just a song,” Kelly said later. “That was a prayer.”
This song became more than just music—it became a message of hope for anyone walking through heartbreak. Craig Morgan turned personal tragedy into something that resonates deeply, and with friends like Blake Shelton by his side, his message continues to lift hearts around the world.
