Songfacts®:

• This was originally recorded by Australian singer and guitarist Jedd Hughes for his 2009 eponymous EP with Hillary Lindsey singing background.
• After Charles Kelley cut the song for his The Driver album, he realized that it was missing a female voice, so he reached out to Miranda Lambert. "I kind of pulled in a favor because I sang on her [Revolution] record, a song we'd written called 'Love Song,' and I was singing harmonies," he recalled. "So I said, 'Not to put any pressure, but I'm calling in my favor from you right now. Would you like to sing on this song?'"
• The collaboration with Miranda Lambert happened at the last minute. Charles Kelley explained to Billboard magazine: "Initially we had intended on just making an EP of just five or six songs. Around that time, I performed a showcase in Nashville for some industry friends to share the music live. After the excitement of the performance, the thought of finishing out the EP into a full-length album started to take shape. I started immediately writing more and also digging into older songs I had on my computer.
  
  I've always loved the song 'I Wish You Were Here,' originally written and recorded by Jedd Hughes, so I decided to give it a shot in the studio. After hearing the finished product I knew it was missing something. It needed some vulnerability to it in the form of a female harmony. Luckily, she (Lambert) had come to the showcase in Nashville and had been so supportive and encouraging after seeing the performance that I thought maybe, just maybe, she will want to be a part of this. Luckily, she said yes."