Brantley Gilbert has never been one to hide his beliefs, in any of his songs, including “Me and My House.” The song, which Gilbert sings with Struggle Jennings and Demun Jones, is on Gilbert’s latest Tattoos album, released last September.
“Given the current climate of our society, a lot of people are going to politicize it,” Gilbert tells People. “When I look at the world today and the missing pieces, I can’t help but attribute a lot of it to the loss of what the family unit is. I’d love to see a return to that. My hope is that a lot of people can relate to that song.”
Not that Gilbert is claiming to live a perfect life. The father of three, who says he recently started attending church again, has been sober since 2011. Still, he continues to smoke cigarettes, a habit he knows he should quit.
“I’d love to be optimistic about [quitting smoking] and tell you that’s going to happen — it probably should,” Gilbert admits. “This stuff isn’t giving me more longevity, but at the same time, God almighty, I think stress is going to kill me before anything. Trying to quit in the middle of everything going on right now would probably kill me.”
Gilbert turned 40 on January 20. It’s a milestone he admits he at one time never thought he would achieve.
“I’m not being theatrical when I say that there was a chapter in my life where I never planned on being anybody’s dad or anybody’s husband,” Gilbert shares. “And I honestly didn’t, in my heart of hearts, think I’d make it much past 30, ’cause of the things I was doing, the people I was hanging around with, and the choices I was making. And to be completely honest with you, I wasn’t miserable. Like I’d kind of found my peace with that.
“So, to look back at that … it’s just wild,” he continues. “I feel like I’m ten years into borrowed time, and those are the ten years I’ve been married, I had my kids and everything else. So, I like to think that my wife just stayed prayed up so much and did enough of the right things that he’s blessing her and I’m just kind of catching the good parts of her blessing.”
The fact that Gilbert is still alive and healthy, with a successful music career and a happy family life, is a testament to his wife Amber, as much as it is to him.
“I’m proud of the life we have built, and she’s obviously a huge part in that,” Gilbert boasts. “Amber is probably the biggest part in that. I always count my blessings.”
The Georgia native is back at radio with “Over When We’re Sober,” with Ashley Cooke. He just kicked off his The Tattoos Tour. Find all of Gilbert’s music and tour dates at BrantleyGilbert.com.