AceShowbiz - John PayCheck is honoring his late father, country music legend Johnny PayCheck, with a deeply personal new single titled Daddy Are You Listening? The song, which serves as a tribute to the father he lost more than two decades ago, will be available everywhere digitally on Friday, November 6. It is the fifth teaser track from his forthcoming third studio album, Better Plan, arriving November 27 via HorseBite Entertainment.

The new single offers an intimate glimpse into the relationship between a father and son, the passage of time, and the moments in life that death leaves unfinished. More than two decades after losing his father, PayCheck reflects on the years Johnny never witnessed, from his military career and personal accomplishments to building a family of his own. Through honest lyrics and a deeply personal perspective, the song imagines a conversation that can never take place, but one that countless people who have lost a parent will recognize.

In a statement, PayCheck explained the difficulty of writing about his father. "This one is tough, because I don't release a lot of songs on dad," he said. "I was thinking about what I would want to say to Dad if he could hear me now in the present day. The things I would want him to know and how I would want him to meet his grandkids, my wife and see the things I have done in life. He didn't get to see me as a man, only as a kid in my early 20's."

Throughout the song, PayCheck wrestles with the absence of his father's guidance while navigating the responsibilities of adulthood and fatherhood himself. The lyrics move between memories of his father's voice, the lessons that continue to shape his decisions, and the uncertainty that comes with trying to live up to the example of someone no longer there to offer advice. Perhaps the song's most poignant moment comes when PayCheck turns his attention to the family his father never had the opportunity to meet. Now a husband and father of three daughters, he imagines Johnny getting to know his grandchildren and recognizing pieces of himself in their personalities.

"This song, though, is relatable to anyone who has lost a parent and wishes they could have been here a little longer," PayCheck continued. "It has some tear jerking moments, and this is of course what I am certainly good at writing but the song flows because it is coming from my heart honestly. I can't wait for people to give it a listen."

The new single follows a series of releases showcasing the musical and emotional range of Better Plan. Most recently, PayCheck celebrated his affection for the Lone Star State on the lighthearted Texan One Day, released October 9. The song's good-natured celebration of Texas culture offered a spirited contrast to September's Battles You Never Knew, a hard-hitting recording challenging the commercialization of military sacrifice by artists without firsthand combat experience. Released September 11, on the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that influenced PayCheck's decision to enter military service, Battles You Never Knew generated discussion about authenticity, patriotism and veterans' representation in country music. The song received an in-depth feature from Saving Country Music, exploring PayCheck's personal perspective on the song's meaning.

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Earlier releases from the album include its August 14 title track, Better Plan, a fiddle-driven country rocker examining humility, resilience and personal growth, and Sons Of The Spark, PayCheck's outlaw-country collaboration with Struggle Jennings, which earned placement on Holler's New Country Songs playlist.

Better Plan was recorded at Gnome Studios in Nashville under the direction of acclaimed producer Bill McDermott, whose credits include George Strait, Tim McGraw and Brad Paisley. Rooted in country storytelling from his own life stories and those that come from his own creative intuition, the album reflects PayCheck's commitment to honest songwriting, with a hard-earned perspective, and the kind of authenticity that has defined his steadily growing independent career. The album features songwriting contributions from PayCheck, Scott Gabbey and Jennings.

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PayCheck has also announced the final 2026 dates for his Better Plan Tour, which includes shows in Texas, Alabama, Maryland and South Carolina. The tour includes a stop on November 21 at the Princess Theater in Decatur, Alabama, with Hannah Dasher. Other dates include November 5 at 11th St. Cowboy Bar in Bandera, Texas; November 6 at Westwind Club in Houston, Texas; December 11 at Potomac Gardens in Coltons Point, Maryland; and December 12 at The Country Western Music Festival in Aiken, South Carolina.

Fans can also catch PayCheck previewing Better Plan on RFD-TV's Market Day Report and WKRN-TV's Local On 2.