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In "Brother" Video, Former Firefighter Tyler Braden Tips Hat to Front Line

"I’m hoping people see the video and understand that everyone needs someone."

Like so many of us, Tyler Braden is taking a moment to honor his heroes -- in this case, his fellow firefighters and other figures on the front lines. Indeed, they might be considered the real stars of his inspiring video, "Brother."

Braden is a former firefighter from Montgomery, Alabama, whose own fire and rescue unit can be seen in the video's closing moments. Some listeners may recognize "Brother" as a NEEDTOBREATHE song, which the duo wrote with Gavin DeGraw. It's also the first major label release for Braden, a new signing to Warner Music Nashville.

Take a look at "Brother," then read our interview with rising country artist Tyler Braden below the player.

What do you remember most about the shoot for this video?

We actually shot the video in the dining room at my house. We lucked out having a good place to shoot while quarantined, because my dining room has exposed brick. We had been using it as a second living room / workout space, so we had to take the time to pull all the furniture and equipment out of that room. The rest of our house was a disaster throughout the process of shooting!

How does the video bring your song to life?

We reached out to friends and fans requesting behind-the-scenes videos from firefighters, police, EMT, nurses, doctors and anyone working the front lines through COVID-19. We wanted to show the camaraderie that helps people get through these hard times when working those kinds of jobs. Marisa Taylor and Evan Kaufman then did an amazing job of putting those videos together with shots of me singing, and it just showed the raw emotion behind the song.

What message do you hope your fans take away from the video?

I’m hoping people see the video and understand that everyone needs someone. Nothing helps you through hard, stressful times quite like a brotherhood or sisterhood that truly knows what you’re going through. I hope people see this and know that someone is there for them.

How did it feel to see the finished product for the first time?

The first time I saw this video, I was blown away by the support I could see in the photos and clips from fans. It made me miss my fellow firefighters from my old departments so badly. I definitely felt a lot of emotion seeing everything come to fruition. Marisa and Evan captured it all so well.


Songwriters: Bo and Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE, Gavin DeGraw; Director: Marisa Taylor

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