Justin Moore Reveals Inspiration for Emotional ‘The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home’

Justin Moore is revealing the surprising inspiration for his emotional current single, “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home.” The song, from his upcoming Late Nights and Longnecks album, was written by Moore, along with Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill and Jeremy Stover, and inspired, at least in part, by one of Moore’s previous hits.

“We had a song out years ago that was a big hit called ‘If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,’” Moore shared with PopCulture.com and other media. “We’ve played that song seven to eight years now. Every night onstage when I introduce that song, I always talk about military men and women, teachers, nurses, firefighters, first responders and so on. I always end it by saying, ‘Here’s to the ones that didn’t make it back home.’

“For some reason it hit me one night that I needed to write that as a song,” he continued. “I had some songwriters on the road with me, and you instantly know if an idea is good or bad by the look on the faces of your co-writers. We started it that night and finished it the next day.”

Moore loves performing night after night. But more than just entertaining a crowd, the Arkansas native appreciates the chance to, hopefully, change some lives with his music.

“With a song like ‘Heaven,’ it is great and all, and it is fun to have hit records,” said Moore. “It’s good for your career. But, the thing about that song I’m really proud of is how it helps people. I would go across the country hearing how much it meant to people and how it got them through a difficult time of losing a loved one. I hope this song has the same type of impact on people.”

Late Nights and Longnecks, out on April 26, was Moore’s chance to return to his roots, and the music he loved as a child.

“I’ve been rooted in traditional country music my entire career,” Moore told Billboard. “On the last album [Kinda Don’t Care], there were moments we kind of stepped out of our proverbial box and stretched our legs a little bit and did things a little different than I would have earlier in my career.”

“But with this particular album,” he added, “12 years into this now, I said, ‘Man, I’m gonna make the most traditional-sounding country album I can make,’ and I think we did that.”

Download “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home,” and pre-order Late Nights and Longnecks, at Moore’s website.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Jason Kempin