Lee Brice Reveals The Unique Creative Process Behind "Santa Claus Was My Uber Driver"

Arguably, the best country songs tell unlikely yet true stories in an elaborate, enticing fashion. Lee Brice's holiday masterpiece, memorably titled "Santa Claus Was My Uber Driver," employs that exact approach. A perfectly timed Uber ride handed him some inspiration on a silver platter, with a driver dressed up as Santa. He arrived in a festive red car with the license plate SANTA1, as well as a fluffy Santa hat on the dashboard. "It was like this song was forcing us to write it," Brice said after penning the track with Billy Montana and Adam Wood.

With the help of Matthew Dickinson and the Uber team, Brice was able to track down "Santa." The driver's real name is John Bingman, a Portsmouth, VA-based maintenance tech. His side gig of driving Ubers gives him an excuse to get out of the house, and he plays drums in a 90s cover band. "When that kind of story lands in your lap, you can't help but write it," reflected Brice on the song's origins. With that spirit, they tried to preserve as much of Bingman's true story as possible in their song.

"Santa Claus Was My Uber Driver" takes a fun, easygoing route in its storytelling. Joyfully, Brice details his Uber ride from the Virginia Beach airport to his hotel with St. Nick himself. The authentic country influences of the song, as well as outrageous nature of its story, draw listeners in. It's even more special when you know that it was based on a true story!