Keith Urban Used a Merle Haggard Song as Inspiration for This Hit Single From 2018

Keith Urban drew on Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” when creating his 2018 single “Coming Home”, bringing the older country song into a new track and potentially to a new audience. Haggard, who died in 2016, is credited as a co-writer alongside Urban, Julia Michaels, Nicolle Galyon and J.R. Rotem.

Urban said he sought permission from Haggard’s wife, Theresa, and wanted her blessing for the use of the song. The idea for “Coming Home” came during a conversation with Michaels in Los Angeles: her line, “I know it’s only one call away, but it’s not the same”, helped define the song’s theme, while the sound of Haggard’s song helped shape its direction.