!["It was just written because of the love and passion Lance [McDaniel] has in his heart for people,” says Christopher Johnson, lead singer of The BarKays.](https://media.tegna-media.com/assets/WATN/images/e796d38a-ff2c-495d-9ab4-b54a7cd74181/e796d38a-ff2c-495d-9ab4-b54a7cd74181_1920x1080.jpg)
MEMPHIS, Tenn —
Now, more than ever, we sure could use some good news to brighten our moods and two local artists teamed up for a song about embracing differences regardless of your race.
The song is called “Skin.”
Lance McDaniel, lead singer and songwriter of The ShotGunBillys wrote the song back in 2018, but the lyrics are timely. He and Chris J from the Bar Kays teamed up to release a video for it.
“Let’s make light of differences and show respect, love each other a little bit more...it’s okay,” McDaniel said.
Skin, the latest project from McDaniel is a song he hopes people will really listen to and internalize. He wrote it about growing up with his best friend, Willis McQuiston.
“I grew up in his house, he grew up in mine, we are family. We grew up playing in church together and so I was just thinking about our friendship, how special it is to this very day,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel says with everything going on recently, our national could use something positive.
“This is not a political song, it’s a song of togetherness,” McDaniel said.
To make it complete, he asked Chris J of the BarKays to help him.
“This wasn’t written in a specific way for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd or Ahmad Arbery, it was just written because of the love and passion Lance has in his heart for people,” Christopher Johnson, lead singer of The BarKays.
You’ll hear lyrics like “The Same Red Blood that runs through you, it runs through me too,” Chris J said when he first heard the song, he was honored to be apart.
“I didn’t picture it as a country song, or rock or funk. It was just timeless music and I like being apart of songs like that, that really mean something,” Johnson said.
McDaniel said if this song helps people to have an open heart and open dialogue, he’s done his part.