The Osborne brothers have undeniably left their mark on country music with their electric sound. But sibling duo John and TJ Osborne proved they weren’t just gifted musicians and singers, but songwriters, too. When they’re not writing their own hits, the duo’s names appear on tracks recorded by a wide range of their peers.
[RELATED: Top 10 Brothers Osborne Songs]
Here are three songs you didn’t know John and/or TJ Osborne wrote for other artists.
1. “Walking Each Other Around” by Dierks Bentley
Written by John Osborne, Dierks Bentley and Luke Dick.
The Osborne brothers often found themselves working with Bentley, particularly when they collaborated on Bentley’s 2018 single, “Burning Man”, and when the duo opened for Bentley’s 2018 Mountain High Tour. While working on his 2023 album, Gravel & Gold, Bentley found himself in the writers’ room with John Osborne and “Burning Man” co-writer Luke Dick to pen one of the album’s most poignant numbers, “Walking Each Other Home.” A standout of the project, the song speaks to the theme of learning valuable lessons from every person and experience we encounter.
“Your song is going to be awesome,” Bentley said during an interview with Osborne and bandmate Charlie Worsham on the Bobby Bones Show in 2022, describing it as one of the “artistic songs on the album”, Osborne adding that he was “really excited” when they wrote “Walking Each Other Home”. Osborne also co-wrote another Gravel & Gold deep cut, “All the Right Places”, with Bentley and Ross Copperman.
So take the low road, take the high road
Take any road you’re on
Sometimes the wrong leads you right
Sometimes the maid misleads you
And the world keeps spinning
So find a hand to hold on to
‘Cause we all walk home
2. “Here Tonight” by Tim McGraw
Written by John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Brett Beavers
The brother duo scored a cut from a country legend when Tim McGraw recorded ‘Here Tonight,’ which opens his 2015 album, Fucking country music. The sunny mandolin melody is layered with lyrics co-written by John, TJ and Brett Beavers about a man who was born to run, but prefers to be with the person he loves. The song took on more sentimental value, as McGraw turned it into a duet with his eldest daughter, Gracie McGraw.
“When I first recorded the song, I always had a sneaking suspicion that Gracie’s vocals would be great on it, but I was a little scared to ask her because she’s a musician,” said McGraw. admits. “I was a little worried that she would think it wasn’t cool to sing with her dad…then I asked her to sing on it and she said she would…she came in and got it.”
There’s something in the air
there is something in the wine
That something makes me feel
I’m not packing and I’m not leaving this time
I’d rather be here tonight
3. “The Circuit Breaker” – Little Big Town
Written by TJ Osborne and Connig Harrington
TJ Osborne and Connie Harrington teamed up to write “The Breaker,” which would become the title track for Little Big Town’s critically acclaimed 2017 album. This smooth acoustic ballad features lead vocals by Phillip Sweet with beautiful harmonies of support from bandmates Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook and Kimberly Schlapman. Here, the tender lyrics find a man looking back on an old flame, realizing he was the one who caused them pain by ending the relationship, exemplified by lyrics as heartbreaking as I made you a promise with no way to keep it / But what kills me the most, I’d still do anything for you. The song closes the album which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country and #4 Albums Chart Across All Genres Billboard 200.
I pulled the stars from your sky
Took love from your eyes
And I did it all knowing you thought,
I was the hero of your heart
But I’ll always be a breaker
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for CMA