Country Thanksgiving Songs About Being Thankful

Included on the group’s 1993 album Outskirts of Town, this song became a No. 1 hit for Sawyer Brown on the Hot Country Songs chart. Sawyer Brown’s Mark Miller wrote the song with Mac McAnally, with the lyrics centering on “giving credit where credit is due” to those who taught indelible lessons in life, through good times and rough times.

Tim McGraw released this ballad, brimming with life advice, in 2016. Written by Lori McKenna and included on McGraw’s Damn Country Music album, this song rose to No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts. “Humble and Kind” also won a Grammy for best country song and was named song of the year at the CMA Awards.

Rucker wrote this song with Kara DioGuardi and Frank Rogers. Released in 2010 and included on Rucker’s Charleston, SC 1966 album, the song reached No. 23 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart. Throughout the song, Rucker gives thanks for family ties, his favorite game on television and for life’s twists and turns that ultimately turned out for the best.

“Father, mother, daughter, son/ Neighbor, friend and friendless/ All together everyone/ In the gift of loving kindness,” five-time Grammy winner Carpenter sings here. “Thanksgiving Song” is included on Carpenter’s album Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas.

“This year when I count my blessings/ I’m thanking the Lord he made you,” the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s distinct voice rumbles on this song, which Cash performed for the television show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. The episode aired in 1994, and “Thanksgiving Prayer” was written by the show’s producer Josef Anderson.

Listen to “Thanksgiving Prayer” here.

This McBride-recorded hit, written by Brett James, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey, was released in October 2001 as part of McBride’s greatest hits collection. This sunny track offers up gratitude for the simple things in life — the sound of children laughing, time spent with family on front porch swings and more. The hit reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart.

Montgomery Gentry’s anthem of thankfulness takes a clear-eyed look at life’s hardships but also brings a strong reminder to be grateful for the good things in one’s life, whether that’s a home, the love of family or a reliable mode of transportation. They included this song of gratefulness on the 2006 album Some People Change.

This song about finding contentment and gratitude became a No. 1 Hot Country Songs hit in 1991. Written by Brooks with Pat Alger and Larry Bastian, “Unanswered Prayers” was included on Brooks’ No Fences album.

In the song, Brooks sings of a man and his wife having a chance encounter with a woman whom the man had a crush on in school many years earlier. He remembers his old romantic longings before realizing that the prayers he had thought were gone unanswered, had actually been answered even better than he’d hoped when he met his wife.

Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna wrote song about being proactive in building relationships, in hopes of creating a place with “a crowded table and a place by the fire for everyone.”

“If it’s love that we give/ Then it’s love that we reap,” they sing on this song included on their 2019 album The Highwomen. “Crowded Table” won a Grammy award for best country song.

In this song written by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, Musgraves takes an honest look at the familial ties that bind. Though various family members may not appreciate the same things, may not share the same viewpoints and may annoy each other, as Musgraves sings, “friends come in handy, but family is family.” The song is included on Musgraves’ Pageant Material.