“I have only written two songs in my life...I want to sing good songs, so I don’t typically sing the ones I write,” Melanie jests with a smile. However, having worked daily as a clinical worker in the mental healthcare sector for many years, her experience gave her a unique insight to see what many people miss in the hustle-bustle. "I know from personal experience that healthcare workers are super-giving people who work around the clock, juggling the needs of their patients well before their considering themselves and their families, but with those who are working the front lines of COVID-19, they are risking it all and they ARE heroes. That's why I wanted to honor these people.”
Co-written with songwriter Tammy Vice after Melanie’s invitation to sing at The Blessing of The Hands to pray over the hands of nurses in the call of duty, "Heroes are Humans Too" serves as an encouragement to doctors, nurses, and people providing care to those with COVID-19. It is also a reminder for everyone that caregivers, while they seem tireless and selfless, are human and have needs as well. Both Melanie and Tammy knew their two-hour songwriting session had provided a message that needed to be shared.
Though it had been a while since Melanie had recorded new music, she reached out to her friend, acclaimed singer Mandy Barnett, who immediately agreed to produce it. Mandy's vision was to keep the track simple and truthful. She enlisted Bobby Bradley (George Jones, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard) to engineer, Andy Reiss (The Time Jumpers) for guitar, Matt Combs (Reba McEntire, Grand Ole Opry) for violin, and provided backup vocals for the track.
The companion video, produced and directed by Jay Edgerton with video and editing by Ed Lamberg, features Melanie singing in a stark, yet lovely white chapel (Three Oaks Chapel in Gallatin, Tenn.), also reflects the simplicity of the song. The official "Heroes are Human Too" music video is live on all video streaming sites including YouTube, and may also by viewed by clicking below.