In what may be considered an upset at the 2016 ACM Awards, Thomas Rhett took home the Single Record of the Year trophy for “Die a Happy Man,” the second single from his sophomore effort Tangled Up.

“Holy crap,” a breathless Rhett said as he walked onto the stage. “My heart is beating a million miles a minute, and I have lipstick on my lips from kissing my beautiful wife. This song was totally written for and about you, baby. I love you so much.”

The song, inspired by Tim McGraw’s “Just to See You Smile,” was a request of sorts from Rhett’s wife.

“Obviously this isn’t exactly like that, but it’s my interpretation. It’s 100-percent autobiographical of our relationship in a three-and-a-half-minute ballad,” Rhett explains. “It’s probably my favorite song I’ve ever written, and it will be amazing to show our grandkids the video one day.”

Despite the song’s romantic origins, Rhett’s wife Lauren didn’t hear the song in the most ideal of circumstances.

“I wish I could have played “Die a Happy Man” for her in person the first time she heard it, but I actually sent her an email of the demo at 4:00 in the morning, when we finished it on the bus,” Rhett told The Boot.

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