Most of us wake up every morning, get dressed, slip on our shoes and head out the door without a second thought. But after contributing to the song ‘The Choice,’ 19 of the biggest stars in country music will no longer be able to slip into their boots without thinking about the less fortunate. The recently-released single has already helped the non-profit Soles4Souls provide shoes for more than 30,000 people around the world.

“I couldn’t imagine not having a pair of shoes, not just for the sake of being comfortable and looking cool, but I never thought until I got really involved that shoes enable you to get a job,” said former young country star Billy Gilman, who c0-wrote the tune (quote via the Tennessean). “It really is more than giving a pair of shoes so the kid can look hip and cool. It’s a way of life.”

Gilman collaborated with fellow songwriters Dan Murph and Phillip Douglas to pen the tune, and then recruited a who’s who list of country artists to contribute to the recording.

Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and Alan Jackson are among the 19 country stars who contributed to the track. Also heard on ‘The Choice’ are Kenny Rogers, Rodney Atkins, Montgomery Gentry, Amy Grant, Craig Morgan, Kellie Pickler, Josh Turner and more.

Proceeds from each download of the song go directly to Soles4Souls, the Nashville-based organization that collects new and slightly used footwear to alleviate the suffering of those who — as a result of abject poverty — are forced to go barefoot.

“When I was approached to contribute vocals on ‘The Choice,’ I immediately reverted back to my adolescence and when I first heard ‘We Are The World’ in the ‘80s,” Rodney Atkins explains. “The impact that song and message had worldwide is still incredible. Today, we have the opportunity to make an impact on children and adults in a very real way, and I hope people will once again come together to support this song benefiting Soles4Souls.”

Adds Gilman, “I always took for granted the significance of owning a pair of shoes, but I never will again.”

More From Kicker 102.5