50+ Greatest Country Songs About Death

Coming up with a funeral soundtrack is a sad task but it’s a great way to provide a fitting memorial for your loved one. You might already know the genre he or she loved, but that means pulling from a huge pool.

Jump ahead to these sections:

• Best Sad Country Songs About Death
• Best Country Songs About the Death of a Friend
• Best Country Songs About the Death of a Mother or Father
• Best Country Songs About the Death of a Loved One
• Best Old Country Songs About Death

Where can you find the best funeral songs for country music? Here are our heartfelt recommendations for you.

COVID-19 tip: If you're hosting a Zoom funeral using a service like GatheringUs, make sure to test your audio beforehand so online and in-person guests can enjoy the songs together during the service.

Best Sad Country Songs About Death

Country music is a sad, wistful genre. There are so many songs about death and the pain it leaves behind.

1. “I Drive Your Truck” by Lee Brice

This is a song about how grief is such a personal experience. You may not feel anything when you stand at someone’s gravesite, but you might feel your loved one’s presence through strong memories instead.

2. “If Tomorrow Never Comes” by Garth Brooks

Funerals often inspire feelings of regret — did the deceased know how much you loved him?

3. “Go Rest High on that Mountain” by Vince Gill

This is a song appropriate for a Christian country funeral. Gill’s tune is about rest — the deceased’s work is complete here on earth.

4. “Drink a Beer” by Luke Bryan

Doing something you used to do with the deceased is painful. This is true even if you just drink a beer while you watch the sun go down.

5. “The Dance” by Garth Brooks

What would you have done differently if you’d known when your loved one was going to die? Brooks decides that he’s better off not knowing.

6. “If You’re Reading This” by Tim McGraw

This song is for a soldier’s funeral — one who has no regrets about going to war and dying there.

7. “Who You’d Be Today” by Kenny Chesney 

One of the hardest parts of losing someone is picturing them alive today. What would he or she be doing? What would he or she have accomplished?

8. “If You Get There Before I Do” by Collin Raye

This is a song about loving someone between death and when you get to see them again. It’s a song for someone who believes in an afterlife.

9. “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts

The pain of getting up and trying to move on with everyday life and coping with grief is difficult — it’s the focus of this song by Rascal Flatts.

10. “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” by Justin Moore

This is a song about visiting loved ones after death — just for a day.

Post-planning tip: If you are the executor for a deceased friend, the emotional and technical aspects of handling their unfinished business can be overwhelming without a way to organize your process. We have a post-loss checklist that will help you ensure that your loved one's family, estate, and other affairs are taken care of.

Best Country Songs About the Death of a Friend

Making a soundtrack for a friend is a heart-wrenching experience. The only thing you can do is memorialize your friend’s music tastes the way he or she would have wanted.

11. “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” by Glen Campbell

This is a song about loving someone so much you won’t be able to miss them.

12. “See You Again” by Carrie Underwood

This song is a reminder that you’ll see your loved ones again in another life.

13. “When a Hero Falls” by Stephen Cochran

This song is a celebration of bravery for a friend who served in the military and died in battle.

14. “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)” by Toby Keith

This is a sad song about missing a friend.

15. “When I Get Where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley

This song is an uplifting song that takes an optimistic look at death. It’s an uplifting one among sad favorites.

16. “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” by Keith Whitley

This song is a reminder that pain passes and you can heal from grief and troubles.

17. “You’re Gone” by Diamond Rio

This song is a celebration of all the good times you’ve had and the pain you’re feeling now.

18. “I Won’t Let Go” by Rascal Flatts 

This song admits how sharp and painful loss is.

19. “There You’ll Be” by Faith Hill

This song is a reminder of how you’ll always carry someone in your heart after he or she is gone.

20. “A Picture of Me” by George Jones

Jones admits that you can feel incomplete — like only half of your old self — after a death. 

Best Country Songs About the Death of a Father or Mother

Losing a parent might be one of the most painful experiences you’ll ever have. Here are some songs to help you cope.

If you or a loved one aren't into digital playlists for your country songs, you can pick up a physical CD, record, or tape from an online marketplace like Amazon.

21. “I Can’t Write That” by Jeff Bates

Bates admits how painful it is to deal with loss in this song.

22. “He Didn’t Have to Be” by Brad Paisley

This is a song for a father who went above and beyond to be the best that he could be.

23. “If Something Should Happen” by Darryl Worley

This is a reminder that a parent or husband’s memory doesn’t die with them, particularly when he has good friends to carry it on for him.

24. “Lead Me Home” by Jamey Johnson

“Lead Me Home” is a wistful song about God leading someone to Heaven.

25. “Angels in Waiting” by Tammy Cochran 

You may find comfort in a song that talks about angels carrying your loved one home if you’re a Christian.

26. “If I Had Only Known” by Reba McEntire 

What would you have done differently if you’d known in advance that someone was going to die?

27. “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney

Life changes before you know it — soon, you turn into your parents.

28. “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” by Patty Loveless

This song is about telling your parents goodbye, after a lifetime of them helping you say it.

29. “One More Day” by Diamond Rio

What would you give to have one more day with your father or mother?

30. “Over You” by Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert

This is a song about how you feel that you’ll never get over the loss of someone you love. 

Best Country Songs About the Death of Another Loved One

Country music can be perfect for a funeral because they often cover how you must move on without someone you love, no matter how much it hurts.

31. “Go On Without Me” by Brett Eldredge 

This song is a plea from the perspective of someone who died and is a reminder to remember him or her and keep living your life.

32. “A Lot of Things Different” by Kenny Chesney 

This song is a nostalgic, sad ode to things you do differently once someone you love dies.

33. “Last Day of My Life” by Phil Vassar

This song is a reminder to love your family and friends because you never know when it will be the last day of your life.

34. “Believe” by Brooks & Dunn

In this powerful song, Brooks & Dunn sings about how they believe that there’s another life beyond this one.

35. “I Still Miss You” by Keith Anderson 

“I Still Miss You” is a song about doing everything you can to avoid pain and still miss someone.

36. “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry

“If I Die Young” is a nostalgic song about what family members should do if you die young.

37. “If Only I Could Only Bring You Back” by Joe Diffie

This song is all about what you might give if you could bring a loved one back.

38. “Ships of Heaven” by BlackHawk

This is a Christian hymn-meets-country song.

39. “Threaten Me With Heaven” by Vince Gill

Death is never as bad as it seems if you believe in heaven. This gentle, gospel-filled song is a comforting reminder.

40. “Clouds” by Montgomery Gentry

If you looked up to heaven, could you see your loved ones?

Best Old Country Songs About Death

The country genre has shifted and changed, and some people don’t like newer country music. Old country remains a classic in many people’s hearts.

41. “The Funeral” by Hank Williams 

Hank Williams, country music icon, could tug at heartstrings like no one else.

42. “One Dyin’ and a Buryin’” by Roger Miller

Miller’s sad lyrics, “One dyin' and a buryin', one dyin' and a buryin'” will touch your heart.

43. “Chiseled in Stone” by Vern Gosdin

The arguments and petty disagreements are temporary — be sure you make amends before you die.

44. “Holes in the Floor of Heaven” by Steve Wariner

This song puts forth the idea that loved ones are watching over you.

45. “Green Grass of Home” by Tom Jones

The restful experience of going home and being laid to rest in the family’s ground may comfort you, too.

46. “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones

This is a song about loving someone well after he or she dies.

47. “Temporary Home” by Carrie Underwood 

This song is a reminder that no one is meant to stay on earth forever. This song is a major comfort, particularly if you’re a Christian.

48. “Remember When” by Alan Jackson

Remember all the great memories you had with your loved one? This song will comfort you during this difficult time.

49. “Three Wooden Crosses” by Randy Travis

A classic of the old country 50+ Greatest Country Songs About Deathgenre, Travis puts genuine emotion into his lyrics.

50. “Angels Among Us” by Alabama

Some people just seem like angels walking among us.

Create a Memorable Soundtrack

Create a balanced soundtrack by mixing song topics for a country music lover who has died. It’s possible to keep the mood appropriate — as long as you put in the work to create the right country soundtrack for a funeral.

After all, you want to strike the right tone at your loved one’s funeral.