3 AM Kettle Valley Run

[Intro – gentle acoustic guitar strum, distant rooster crow] (Instrumental Solo) [Verse 1 – slow acoustic pickin', soft harmonica hum] Three AM alarm blares through the dark I swing my legs over the cold hardwood floor Pack a sandwich, grab the paper bag Uncle Matt’s truck’s rumbling by the back door [Verse 2 – steady guitar rhythm, light snare tap] I grab the donuts, sugar dust on my thumb He grins and says “Took you long enough, son” We climb in the cab, coffee steam curls high Radio hums a old country lullaby [Chorus – full acoustic strum, harmonica lead] Bouncing down the dirt roads, Kettle Valley bound Sugar donuts, coffee, and stories we found Mountains stretch high where the sun’s yet to rise Uncle Matt’s laugh cuts through the morning skies [Verse 3 – soft guitar arpeggios, quiet bass line] We hit the bush, tires crunch on gravel stone Talk about the girls we’d call our own He passes a smoke, Craven A in his hand Said “Don’t tell your mom” – I nodded, understand [Chorus – layered vocals, harmonica harmony] Bouncing down the dirt roads, Kettle Valley bound Sugar donuts, coffee, and stories we found Mountains stretch high where the sun’s yet to rise Uncle Matt’s laugh cuts through the morning skies [Bridge – stripped back acoustic, faint wind sound] Thirty-five years gone, that secret still holds I can still smell that coffee, that sugar, that smoke He had a rough hand but a heart full of gold Every mile with him was worth the cold [Interlude – harmonica solo, soft guitar backing] (Instrumental Solo) [Final Chorus – full band, warm harmonies] Bouncing down the dirt roads, Kettle Valley bound Sugar donuts, coffee, and stories we found Mountains stretch high where the sun’s yet to rise Uncle Matt’s laugh cuts through the morning skies [Outro – fading acoustic strum, distant truck rumble] Three AM alarms don’t sound so bad When you’re riding with the best dad I never had