# Tracy Lawrence's 11-Year Climb Back to No. 1

> How a song about friendship became a record-breaking country hit with help from Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw.
- Title: Tracy Lawrence's 11-Year Climb Back to No. 1 · Billboard
- Summary: How a song about friendship became a record-breaking country hit with help from Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. Tracy Lawrence's 'Find Out Who Your Friends…
- Keywords: tracy lawrence, find out who your friends are, hot country songs, kenny chesney, tim mcgraw, casey beathard, ed hill, rocky comfort records, country music, chart history, Tracy, Lawrence's
- Source: Billboard — https://billboard.com/music/chart-beat/tracy-lawrence-find-out-who-your-friends-are-chart-rewind-2006-1236340930
- Author: Tom Roland
- Published: 2026-09-16T14:31:22+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tracy lawrence, find out who your friends are, hot country songs, kenny chesney, tim mcgraw, casey beathard, ed hill, rocky comfort records, country music, chart history
## A decade between No. 1 hits
Tracy Lawrence last topped Hot Country Songs in 1996 with 'Time Marches On.' His next chart-topper wouldn't arrive for over a decade.
## The comeback begins in 2006
'Find Out Who Your Friends Are' debuted at No. 59 on Sept. 16, 2006. It was the first single on Lawrence's self-owned Rocky Comfort label.
## Star power joins the track
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw added vocals to an alternate version. George Jones, Darryl Worley, and Larry the Cable Guy appeared in the video.
## Sony's failed radio ban
Sony BMG sent a letter in June 2007 warning stations not to play the collaboration. Broadcasters ignored it, and Sony rescinded the edict the next day.
## A record-breaking climb to the top
The song reached No. 1 on June 23, 2007, after a then-record 41-week climb. It ended Lawrence's 11-year gap between chart-toppers.
## Awards and lasting legacy
'Friends' won CMA's musical event of the year and ACM's vocal event trophy. It remains Lawrence's most recent No. 1 of eight career chart-toppers.
## Key takeaway

Tracy Lawrence's 'Find Out Who Your Friends Are' took a record 41 weeks to reach No. 1, ending an 11-year gap between chart-toppers.