Exclusive: Aaron Watson Opens Up About Death of Daughter That Inspired ‘Bluebonnets’

Aaron Watson has written plenty of personal songs, including his recent “Run Wild Horses,” which he wrote about his relationship with his wife, Kimberly. But perhaps nothing he wrote will ever be as personal as his song, “Bluebonnets (Julia’s Song),” written about his daughter, Julia, who passed away in 2011.

“My wife and I, we lost a little girl, shortly after she was born,” Watson tells PopCulture.com. “Her name was Julia Grace. After we lost Julia, it broke my heart, to such extremes, and it made it rough on me, getting up on stage. I felt silly getting up on stage, singing songs to people who were having fun. It took me a while to get over it.

“But then I realized that this is part of my story; this is part of who I am,” he continues. “Even though we lost her, she’s still my little girl. I felt like I needed to write her a song. And I also felt like I needed to use my heartache to help others get through their heartache. It’s a story about my family. It’s a story about my faith in Jesus. It’s a story of imperfection, but just trusting in God.”

Watson was inspired to write “Bluebonnets” after posing for family photos with his wife and children Jake, Jack and Jolee Kate, in the place where Julia is buried, and seeing the flowers blooming all around them.

“I wrote that song with no intentions of ever playing it live,” Watson explains. “And it is difficult for me to play. It’s tough for me to stay focused on the song, because my emotions start welling up. But as tough as that was, having that little girl for the short moment that we got to have her, has really made me look differently at life. It’s really made me realize how short and sweet life really is, and how we need to make the most of these days that we’re blessed with.”

The Texan has been most surprised by how the personal song resonates so strongly with his fans.

“I’ve never really won any awards for my songwriting, but I think the greatest award for me is when someone comes up to me and tells me that ‘Bluebonnets’ helped them get through a tough time, that it helped them get over a heartache or their loss,” he adds. “And I think that’s the greatest thing for a songwriter.”

“Bluebonnets” is on Watson’s 2015 Underdog album. Download the single on iTunes.