Erin Enderlin – Heart of America (acoustic)

“Heart of America” is a journey—two dreams realized—and a story rooted in resilience, history, and home.

For more than a decade, I carried a quiet goal of writing for TV and film. I read scripts, wrote songs, submitted them, and heard “pass” more times than I can count. Then, alongside my dear friends Jeff Fahey and Moose Brown, I was given the opportunity to write for the Amazon Prime series The Gray House.

Producer Leslie Greif shared scenes from this powerful true story about a Civil War–era spy ring that helped change the course of history. We set out to capture the spirit of a nation—bruised and broken in many ways, yet determined, resilient, and reaching toward something better.
Hearing my hero, country music icon Willie Nelson, record “Heart of America” for the official soundtrack is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

I recorded this performance as a submission for NPR Tiny Desk Concert, seated atop my grandfather’s desk. My grandfather was a son, brother, husband, father, and friend—a farmer and cotton ginner in small-town Arkansas, a quiet, steady man who believed in hard work and showing up. He was also a WWII veteran who served to protect the heart of this country.

It felt like the only place this song could live.
I hope you love it as much as I do.

Willie Nelson singing The Gray House:    • Willie Nelson – Heart Of America (From The…  
More Info The Gray House: https://musicrow.com/2026/01/mca-to-r…

Keep up with Erin:
Website: www.erinenderlin.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/erinenderlin
Facebook: www.facebook.com/erinenderlinmusic
TikTok:   / erinenderlin  
BandsInTown: www.bandsintown.com/a/486173-erin-enderlin?came_from=257
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ZRP1…
Apple Music: https://apple.co/2UKcDzE
Pandora: https://pandora.app.link/ei3MYp4nB0b

Lyric:

Open arms, guiding light
A beacon of hope in the night
The stars and the stripes
A spirit that’s always gonna fly
What makes us different makes us strong
Together we will carry on

The heart of America
It’s still dreaming, dreaming of things to come
And it’s beating, beating like a drum
Oh, the heart of America

It’s a hand, reaching out
To your brother in a moment of doubt
The freedom in our lungs
To sing a song that’s never been sung
And there’s room for everyone

The heart of America
It’s still dreaming, dreaming of things to come
And it’s beating, beating like a drum
Oh, the heart of America

We’ve seen it bleed, we’ve seen it break
When you think it’s had all that it can take
It rings out, good and loud like the liberty bell

The heart of America
It’s still dreaming, dreaming of things to come
And it’s beating, yea it’s beating like a drum
Oh, the heart of America
Oh, the heart of America
America
America