Kristian Bush is Taste of Country's newest guest writer. Each Monday in October, he'll share the stories behind the songs he's written and recorded for his new solo album, expected in 2015. His current single 'Trailer Hitch' is nearing the Top 40. Today, ToC readers can listen to and learn all about 'Sending You a Sunset.'

Hello! My name is Kristian Bush. I’m the guy in the hat from Sugarland. Some of you might have heard me sing. Most of you probably haven’t. I’m familiar when I’m on a stage next to my Sugarland partner, Jennifer, but some of you might not recognize me in the carpool line, or when I sit next to you on a plane. If we haven’t met yet, now’s as good of a time as any. Hi!

Over the past two years, I’ve written close to 300 songs on the journey to make my debut solo album, ‘Southern Gravity’ (which will come out just as soon as they let me put it out). Along the way, I started posting a song every week on my website, hoping to share what I was creating with fans old and new. I called these posts Music Mondays. During the month of October, Taste of Country is allowing me to post my songs and some other fun content exclusively on their site. Stay tuned all month for videos, blog posts and maybe some zombies. You never know ...

Anyway, for my first Music Monday here on Taste of Country, I want to tell you the story of one of my favorite new songs, ‘Sending You a Sunset.’ This is a brand new recording of a song that I have been working on for a while, I wrote it with my 'Trailer Hitch' co-writer and good friend Tim Owens.

Listen to 'Sending You a Sunset'

Like many of you, I travel for my job. It takes me away from home most every week, and I do my best to maintain my relationships in my life through my cellphone. I rely on it to send and receive emails, text messages, photos, and sometimes little movie clips to connect to the people I love. It is my lifeline, for better or for worse.

At some point, I started to notice that I was sending pictures of the places around me to help my friends and family understand where I was, show them that I was okay and that I was way out here -- out here with all the other travelers, the soldiers, the computer consultants, salesmen and truck drivers. Maybe in an airport, maybe in an airport hotel. Somewhere in between: halfway to work, halfway home. That is how the idea for this song began.

I have always believed that songs carry some alchemy in them, that we can put wishes into the lyrics and maybe they will come true. The first time a lot of you ever heard me sing was at the end of ‘Baby Girl’ with the line, “Dreams come true.” I still believe that. When I think about the alchemy of ‘Sending You a Sunset,’ well -- there is no better wish than telling the one you love that they matter.

So when you listen to this song, I would like you to imagine sending the person you love a picture of the sunset from wherever you are. The one right outside your window. Send it to remind them that you are thinking of them. Send it to connect to them, even if they are far away. Send it so that they know that you are standing in front of a beautiful sky and that you wish they were here with you.

The name of this song feels as much like a hashtag as it does a title, so I encourage you to do just that: Take a picture of the sun going down and send it to someone you love. Tag it #sendingyouasunset.

Here is mine from Friday in Ft. Myers Beach, Fla. before I played the Island Hopper Songwriter Festival:

Kristian Bush Sunset
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Remember: Life is better with a soundtrack. I hope this song finds its way onto yours.

More soon,

Love,
Kristian
Atlanta, GA
USA
Earth

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