Kane Brown’s music has always been personal, but his latest track, “When You Forget,” hits harder than anything he’s written before. The song, featured on his new album The High Road, is a gut-wrenching tribute to his grandfather, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Brown opened up about the inspiration behind the lyrics. “This is the only song that made me cry while writing it,” he confessed. “Seeing someone who raised you forget who you are—it’s a pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
The lyrics reflect that anguish, with Brown singing about moments like teaching his grandfather to drive, now contrasted with the painful reality of his fading memory. “If you look in that mirror and wonder who you are / It kills me to watch your memories fade” is a line that lingers long after the song ends.
Brown revealed that even his grandmother was overcome with emotion when he told her about the track. “You could hear her crying over the phone,” he said.
With The High Road now out, “When You Forget” has struck a chord with listeners, many of whom are sharing their own stories of loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s. For Brown, the song isn’t just music—it’s a way to keep his grandfather’s legacy alive, even as the disease tries to erase it.
