Friday, December 18 marks nine years of sobriety for Brantley Gilbert. The country singer turned to Instagram to mark the big milestone with a sweet family photo.
"9 years drink free today, and couldn't have done it without my family, my brothers, my road family and the #bgnation...," he wrote in the caption. "If y'all pop a top today drink one for ya boy. Much love and lookin forward to playin' the livestream show for y'all on December 30."
The photo features Gilbert alongside his wife, Amber, and their son, Barrett Hardy-Clay. The couple also shares a daughter, who was not pictured, Braylen Hendrix.
Over the years, Gilbert has been open about his decision to get sober. In a recent interview with his record label, the country rocker revealed how his tattoos have helped him throughout his sobriety journey.
"The one on my left side is really the story of my life, and goes through my addiction and the tribulations and trials. I got the devil trying to get on my shoulder over here, and I got two angels – I got one chubby angel with a spear keepin’ him from gettin’ up here," Gilbert explained. "It’s just little things like that that I remember the struggle every time I look at my arm. That’s one of the things, people ask me, ‘How are you staying sober?’ And honest to God, this has a lot to do with it. Every time I look down, I see flames and skulls and the fact that I put myself and everybody that works for me through hell."
The struggles Gilbert faced with addiction actually helped inspire his latest single, "Hard Days." The track, co-written by Gilbert alongside Brock Berryhill, Jay Brunswick and Logan Wall, is all about finding hope amid challenging times and circumstances.
"'Hard Days' is about finding and acknowledging hope in the midst of turmoil and taking the good with the bad,” Gilbert previously said. "I look back on some of the harder times in my life and think about where things are now, and I’m thankful for the bad that led to the good."
"This song means a lot to me. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a song that can stand on its own lyrically," he continues. "It’s something I’m extremely proud to be a part of. I feel like all of us are in need of a little bit of healing and in need of a little bit of hope. And this song offers that.”
"Hard Days" is Gilbert's first glimpse at new music since his latest album, Fire & Brimstone, which was released in October of 2019.
Take a listen "Hard Days" below.
Photo: Getty Images