5 Powerful Songs for Your Hero this Father’s Day

Every Father’s Day hurts since losing my grandfather. Randy Travis’ He Walked On Water perfectly describes how I saw my mother’s daddy:

“But his hat seemed to me like an old halo; and though his wings, they were never seen, I thought that he walked on water.”

Below, I compiled a list of favorite songs about dads and grandpas, in an attempt to create the perfect playlist for your hero this Father’s Day. (Just a little warning: there’s a whole lot of Texas talent on this list!)

It was extremely difficult to pick just five so, after polling my Facebook friends, I included additional favorites at the bottom of this post.

5 powerful songs for your hero this Father’s Day

A Love without End, Amen by George Strait

A list of songs for Father’s Day just wouldn’t be complete without Texas crooner George Strait’s A Love without End, Amen, which aptly describes the unconditional love of earthly fathers and the infinite love of our Heavenly Father.

Daughters by John Mayer

John Mayer’s Daughters is one of my favorite songs of all time. Enough said.

Drive by Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson’s Drive and Small Town Southern Man were two of my mother’s favorite songs because they reminded her so much of her daddy–our humble, gentle and kind cowboy, who taught us values and life lessons while working on his ranch.

Grandpa by The Judds

The Judds’ Grandpa is an old favorite from one of my all-time favorite albums. I’m pretty sure I knew every word to this song by the time I was 3 years old.

While I Was Away by Pat Green

Texas singer-songwriter Pat Green’s While I Was Away is a newer favorite about fatherhood that brought me to tears the first time I heard it on the radio.

Other powerful songs for Father’s Day

Other powerful songs for your hero this Father’s Day include A Song for Dad by Keith Urban, Before These Walls Were Blue by Texas singer-songwriter Wade Bowen, Bluebonnets (Julia’s Song) by Texas singer-songwriter Aaron Watson, Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle, Daddy Dance with Me by Krystal Keith, Daddy’s Hands by Holly Dunn, Dance with My Father by Luther Vandross, and Father and Daughter by Paul Simon.

Other favorites are He Didn’t Have to Be by Brad Paisley, I Got the Guns by Texas singer-songwriter Roger Creager, Imaginary Tea by Jon McLaughlin, It Won’t Be Like This for Long by Darius Rucker, Just Fishin’ by Trace Adkins, Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg, My Girl by The Temptations, My Little Girl by Tim McGraw, Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift, Old Oldsmobile by Texas singer-songwriter (and former Texas Strong Woman of the Month) Jamie Lin Wilson, and That’s My Job by Conway Twitty.

A version of this post was originally published June 17, 2016.

What are your favorite Father’s Day songs about dads and grandpas?

Let me know in the comments.