Cledus T. Judd is trading his trademark humor for something much more meaningful. The singer-songwriter is releasing his deeply personal new song, “Boy Goin’ Somewhere,” on Friday, November 13. Judd wrote “Boy Goin’ Somewhere” with Ashley McBryde and Jeremy Bussey.

“Boy Goin’ Somewhere” is Judd’s autobiographical look at overcoming his own struggle with addiction, as he now celebrates 22 years of sobriety. The song is a twist on McBryde’s 2019 “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” hit single.

“It’s just this simple: it is the single most important video I’ve ever done in my career ,” Judd tells Everything Nash. “And I’m praying that it reaches the right people that need to see it. Watch it and hopefully it’ll resonate with those people that need it the most. If that happens, then the video will be successful.”

The song says in part, “And I need to thank my family, ’cause they always believed / And somehow they saw something in me I couldn’t see / All the dead end roads, Lord knows I took my share / Till I hit my knees one night and I said the prayer / And the man I was got changed right then and there / Got bad for a boy goin’ somewhere / Thank God I’m here and goin’ somewhere.”

What Vince Gill Says About “Boy Goin’ Somewhere” by Cledus T. Judd

Vince Gill and Caitlyn Roberts sing vocals on “Boy Goin’ Somewhere”. In the video, a voicemail from Gill is heard, praising Judd for this song.

“Brother Cledus, it’s your pal, Vinny, just calling to say good job on that song, man,” Gill says. “Thanks for letting me sing on it. I think it’s going to make you bigger than Elvis. It’s gonna be great. So hang on. Hang on for the ride, dude. We’re all proud of you. Love you.”

Cledus T. Judd’ Shares the Story Behind “Boy Goin’ Somewhere”

The video for “Boy Goin’ Somewhere” starts with Judd saying, “I thought, while I’m down here on my knees, I’m gonna ask God if He can’t give me some help. I said, ‘If you’ll get me up out of here, I’ll never do it again, God.’ And, I’m glad to say that, as of today, I sit here on this fireplace, I got 22 years under my belt of sobriety. And I’m really happy when my manager asks me, ‘What about the money?,’ I chose me.”

In a press release, Judd opens up about the story behind “Boy Goin’ Nowhere.” The song comes after he recently released “Meet Her,” a parody of Ella Langley’s big hit, “Be Here,” and “Just Another Day In Parodies,” a take on Phil Vassar’s “Another Day In Paradise.” Still, the success of those songs means little to Judd compared to the importance of “Boy Goin’ Somewhere.”

“I’ve never done a song in my career that’s more important and means more to me personally than ‘Boy Goin’ Somewhere,’” Judd maintains. “It is not only my story but many others who have struggled with addiction, almost lost it all but found a way to survive the madness, beat the illness and come back bigger and stronger and more focused than ever. I will be forever indebted to my dear friends Ashley McBryde and Jeremy Bussey for helping write what I feel like is my life story.

“If I can save one person from the madness and the self-induced hell I went through, then the song and video will have served its purpose,” he adds. “This is a song and video that matters and means so much to me. I pray it is seen and heard by the people who need it the most. Today I sit here 22 years free from addiction. If I can, you can, we all can…”