DALTON DOVER

                                                             "I Wouldn't Be Here" 

                                                              UMG Nashville/Mercury Records

Rising country star Dalton Dover impacted country radio in a big way with his debut, major label single “Giving Up On That,” earning the coveted most-added tag the week of its official release.

The UMG Nashville/Mercury Records recording artist now returns with “I Wouldn’t Be Here,” a stunning tribute to his mama that arrives just ahead of the Mother’s Day holiday.

Co-written by Dover with Russell Sutton and Dan Isabell, the softness in the pacing of the melody allows plenty of room for Dalton’s naturally soulful voice to encapsulate the heartfelt emotions wrapped into what is essentially a thank you letter to his mom.

Running through a list of different moments that she was right there by his side as his biggest cheerleader, he lovingly sings through the first verse of her being there for every little league game, every middle school play, and being the supportive voice for his music career at the very beginnings when she’d tell him a song that he’d written was good even when it came out all wrong. 

Continuing to shower her unconditional love with his praises, he pumps into the chorus:

“Every time I hit rock bottom

You picked me right back up

When I felt like I was nothing

You said son you’re more than enough

I’m the man I am today because you cared

I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t been there”

While the first half of the song appreciatively offers rightful props to her for being such a great mother to him when he was younger, the second half elevates the life lessons she taught him that he still carries within himself today; that the answers are in the good book, patience is a virtue, to learn from mistakes, and that the love of a good woman is worth more than money in the bank.

What’s truly awesome about this song, though, is that as much as Dover focuses on their mother/son relationship, he also shows the listener who she was at the core of her heart when he mentions her being so loving to not only him, but also to his brother and sister; adding an immediate depth to the song as he paints the entire all-around picture of his amazing mother.

We all need these simple reminders about how and why the support of our parents is so worth putting on a pedestal of gratitude. Dover transparently opens his own family photo album, inviting us in and absolutely giving us that bold reminder as he tugs on our heartstrings through a lyric that makes you reminisce on your own upbringing as you pick up the phone and dial your own mom to thank her.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis) 

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