Larry Keygan and the Story Behind “Proud Of Me”
The Houston singer-songwriter wrote his 2026 single about losing his grandmother to cancer, and about hoping she would be proud of the person he has become.
Larry Keygan. Photo: Nino Batista
Larry Keygan’s “Proud Of Me” is a song about a loss many listeners will know. The Houston singer-songwriter wrote it about losing his grandmother to cancer, and released it as a single on March 27, 2026.
In a statement shared with Country Music Journal, Keygan explained what the song means to him:
“This song means the world to me. It’s about losing my grandma to cancer, and one of the things I struggle with most is hoping she’s proud of the person I’ve become. I wrote this song to help others who are going through the same thing.”
A song for people going through the same thing
Country music has always made room for songs written through grief. Vince Gill began “Go Rest High on That Mountain” after Keith Whitley died in 1989, and did not finish it until he lost his brother in 1993. Keygan wrote his with other people in mind as well as himself: the point of “Proud Of Me”, he says, is to help others who are living through the same loss.
The hope at the centre of the song, that his grandmother would be proud of the person he has become, is one that many people who have lost a grandparent will recognise. The title also echoes one of his earlier singles, “Make You Proud”, released in 2025.
From Mobile to Houston
Keygan was born in Mobile, Alabama, and has lived in Texas for years; Houston is home now. He is an independent artist, and since 2024 he has released five singles: “Feel Again” (2024), “Make You Proud” and “My Heart Wants You Back” (both 2025), and “Welcome To Houston” and “Proud Of Me” (both 2026). “Welcome To Houston” is named for the city he now calls home.
His biography describes songs about love, heartbreak, loss and perseverance, and a commitment to raising cancer awareness in honour of his grandmother. “Proud Of Me” is where the two meet: a song about his own loss that he hopes will help other people carry theirs.
Like many independent artists, Keygan is building his audience directly, through the streaming services and his own channels on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Listen
“Proud Of Me” is streaming on Spotify and Apple Music, along with his earlier singles.
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