Shy Carter, Frank Ray discuss new, timely, empathetic single 'Jesus At The Taco Truck'

There was once an era in Nashville where legendary stories remembered by echoes state that every great song came together like Shy Carter and Frank Ray's new single "Jesus At The Taco Truck."

The song that Carter tells the Tennessean is "shockingly titled" on purpose is described as an "amazing" anthem that continues to define the genre's current era of top performers as timelessly gifted in the art of "outlaw"-style storytelling that still arrives deep in the genre's most commercial and critically-acclaimed pockets of success.

"This is a judgment-free song about pure love and care for others."

The song tells of a conversation "in broken Spanish over Topo Chicos" with a taco truck worker that has numerous religious allegories to the New Testament story of Christ -- the undocumented Mexican feels "crucified" by some Tennessee natives, plus recalls how his immigration scarred his feet and hands.

It's a relatively simple guitar-led ballad that saw Burgess, Carter and Chapman realize the gravitas of the song's lyrics and not knowing how to reflect that in the track's composition.

"The guitar needed to cry, too," says Carter.

"When you play a minor sixth chord in a song, you're getting at a chord that can convey the truest, darkest truth that resolves in a light, positive way," Ray says to The Tennessean.

A Memphian, New Mexican, and two Song of the Year caliber writers -- one a BMI award-winning Dallas native who loves writing cowboy songs and murder ballads and the other a Grammy-winning Nashville native renowned for his work with Taylor Swift -- have combined forces for the song that combines equal parts empathy, religiosity, timelessness and a universal message of goodwill.

Carter's the Memphian. He's best known for recently appearing in Amazon Music's critically acclaimed "For Love and Country" documentary about the progression of African-American civil rights causes in country's mainstream. Moreover, he's also a multi-genre chart-topping No. 1 songwriter with credits alongside Sugarland, Rob Thomas and Meghan Trainor.

Ray's the New Mexican and a recent top 20-charting country artist whose success extends a multi-generational history of Mexican-American artists breaking onto country radio.

Ben Burgess is from East Dallas and penned the 2020 BMI Song of the Year winner "Whiskey Glasses" for Morgan Wallen. As well, Nathan Chapman is signed to Jody Williams Songs and produced Taylor Swift's debut album, plus the four records that followed: "Fearless," "Speak Now," "Red" and "1989."

Ray's not one of the song's original writers. Still, as a collaborator, he brings a unique cultural sensitivity to a song about an undocumented Mexican immigrant selling tacos to attempt to make a better life -- and perhaps create legal immigration access -- for his family on the other side of the border.

"The song's a great idea that, for me, resonates because my brother-in-law has dealt with issues connected to undocumented American citizenship," Ray adds.

"Watching my sister bawl her eyes out and try to figure out how she would support her family when her husband got deported is something that happened to me. I know that millions of other people can understand my perspective."

Millions of people have already connected with the song in the two months since Carter and Ray's version began circulating on TikTok and Instagram reels.

Artists including Jelly Roll and Brittney Spencer are early champions of the track.

Seeing social media responses from people moved to tears by the song about issues faced by themselves and their families was a soul-touching moment for both Carter and Ray.

"We tried to write a song that could authentically speak to all segments of the country music fanbase to the best of our abilities," Ray adds.

"Sometimes you think you've achieved that and you end up missing the mark. But this is a prominent moment for Latin culture and country music in how we hit the mark in discussing shared lived experiences."

Carter appreciated how co-writers Burgess and Chapman authentically and empathetically connected with people who shared the song's difficult circumstances.

"This song offers a voice to people who themselves -- or their family and friends -- can relate to the lyrics."

Whether it is immigrants, those who have first-hand awareness of the issues surrounding those either illegally or legally in America and struggling for survival -- or most importantly, those who share knowledge and love for Jesus Christ and scripture-borne notions of "loving others as you love yourself" in their lives.

"Jesus unconditionally sacrificed his life for the world and we parallel that to [how the song's protagonist] does the same thing for his family," Carter adds.

"Despite your religion, in a way, this song asks the [quintessential] question that religious people often ask: 'If Jesus -- even if he appeared in the body of a stranger on a street corner -- showed up at your doorstep, would you feed and house him?' Singing compassionately in response to that is important," says Ray.

"This song represents country music's timeless values: we're telling a real, beautiful story with beautiful chords."

Carter "cannot wait" to evolve the song from a social media moment to "deep, live experiences" where he can "share goosebumps" with fans who desire to engage with "Jesus At The Taco Truck" beyond commercialized marketing and spreadsheet-driven expectations.

This song reflects pure artistic truth that attempts to make a connection driven by faith and respect shared between musicians and everyday people."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Shy Carter, Frank Ray discuss new, timely, empathetic single 'Jesus At The Taco Truck'