The song was inspired by the Tucson , Arizona shooting that killed six people and critically injured U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011 . Bentley told '' The Desert Sun '' that right after the shooting incident occurred , he was sitting with the song 's two other writers , Dan Wilson and Brett Beavers and they were trying to make sense of the tragedy . He also points out that " the song 's about a sense of being and memories of the country . Everybody 's idea of America is a little different . " In January 2012 , singer-songwriter Jason Isbell posted on Twitter that he thought Bentley plagiarized his song " In a Razor Town " , which has a nearly identical melody . After Isbell tweeted that Bentley " brought that idea to the table " , Bentley responded , " that is some funny shit ! " Bentley also linked to an earlier interview with co-writer Dan Wilson discussing the writing of the song . Wilson indicated that it was a collaboration , as he and Brett Beavers developed the melody of the verses and Bentley came up with the hook of the chorus . On January 7 , Isbell followed that he would not fight with Bentley over Twitter
Tucson , Arizona shooting
2011 Tucson shooting
Home (Dierks Bentley song)