Country funeral songs

Vince Gill finished this song after his brother died. A gentle farewell with faith in heaven, for a brother or for anyone.

Garth Brooks looks back on a love that ended, grateful for the time it lasted. For a husband or wife, or anyone dearly missed.

A story song about a man who loses his grandmother as a boy and his wife years later. For a grandparent, a husband or wife, or a mother.

A hopeful goodbye from Carrie Underwood, rooted in her faith that loved ones meet again. It suits the close of a service.

A grandfather keeps the note his sweetheart wrote him when they were young, and reads it again as she is dying. Often chosen for grandparents.

Kenny Chesney's quiet song of grief for a young life cut short. Families often choose it for a son, a daughter or a friend.

Three short stories: a foster child, a young mother and an old man near the end of his life. A song of faith, often for a grandparent.

Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton paint a gentle picture of heaven and of seeing loved ones there. Often played for a grandparent.

A man gets hard news from his doctor and starts living fully with the time he has. For a dad, or anyone who made the most of every day.

Holly Dunn wrote it as a Father's Day gift for her own father, a preacher. A tender choice for a dad.

Three goodbyes across one woman's life, the last at her mother's bedside. Often chosen by a daughter for her mom.

A quiet song of grief after the news that someone close has died. Luke Bryan has sung it in honor of his late brother and sister.

Cole Swindell co-wrote it about his father, who died suddenly in 2013. For missing a dad when good things happen without him.

A man remembers the old neighbor who lost his wife and baby yet held on to his faith. Often chosen for a grandfather or an older friend.

Justin Moore pictures a day in heaven with the people he has lost, his grandfather among them. For a grandparent, or a family missing several people.

Diamond Rio's wish for one more ordinary day with someone who is gone. For a husband or wife, or anyone lost without warning.

Alan Jackson looks back over a long marriage and the life a couple built. For a husband or wife, or grandparents married for decades.

Lori McKenna wrote it as advice for her own children. Families choose it for a mom or dad whose values they carry on.

A parent's hopes for a child heading out into the world. Families choose it for a mother, and for a son or daughter.

Alan Jackson's tribute to his late father, built on memories of an old boat and a pickup. For a dad who taught by doing.

A gentle song written from the view of someone who dies young. Families often choose it for a daughter, a son or a friend.

Carrie Underwood wrote it as a grown daughter's thanks to her own mother. Families often play it for a mom.

Willie Nelson's tender song about a love that stays for a while and then has to go. Often chosen to say goodbye to a husband or wife.

A father far from home calls his wife and children. Military families took it to heart, and it suits a dad who still feels close.

Randy Travis tells of a bus crash and a dying preacher's Bible that turns a stranger's life around. For someone whose faith shaped their life.

Blake Shelton wrote it with Miranda Lambert about his brother, who died in a car crash. For losing a brother or sister.

Inspired by a father who kept driving his son's truck after the soldier was killed in Afghanistan. For a son, a brother or a veteran.

A grandchild asks a grandfather about how life used to be. Warm and wistful, for a grandparent who loved to tell stories.

The whole life of a hardworking country man, from his boyhood on the farm to his last days. For a dad or grandpa who lived simply.

Tammy Wynette co-wrote it about a love that ended, but it can speak to anyone learning to live alone after a husband or wife dies.

A father and son across three goodbyes, from a scared little boy to his dad's last days. Often chosen for a dad.

A soft piano song from Kacey Musgraves about hope after a long, hard season. It suits a service without religion.

Dolly Parton remembers the patchwork coat her mother sewed for her as a poor child. For a mom who made a lot from a little.

Martina McBride sings as a mother about the bond with her daughter. Families play it for a mom or for a daughter.

Written as the last letter of a soldier who did not come home, to the family he left. For a military funeral.

Willie Nelson's cheerful song about life on the road. A light way to end a celebration of life for someone who loved to travel.

The cowboy goodbye that closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' show for years. Fond and light, for the end of a service.

Kenny Rogers tells of a card player sharing his advice on a train. For a dad or grandpa who loved cards and a good story.

Don Williams' plain, warm thank-you from a man to his wife of many years. For a husband or wife after a long, happy marriage.

Willie Nelson's spare version of an old song about parting from someone you love. Often chosen for a husband or wife.

A grown woman goes back to her childhood home and the memories in every room. For parents who made a family home.

Johnny Cash remembers a poor family that sang together at home, and a brother now gone. Lively, for a mom or dad who loved to sing.