Entertainment

About Craig Morgan

Some people just know innately who they are and what they stand for. Within a few minutes of any interaction with Craig Morgan, it’s readily apparent God, family and country are his foundation. The veteran hitmaker continues to celebrate those pillars on his new EP, American Soundtrack.

“I try to celebrate God, family and country in my music and in everything I do,” the Tennessee native says. “That’s what I have always done and I’ve come to realize it’s my platform. I don’t stress about things as much as I used to. I just try to write, sing, produce and play the best music that we can and go where I think God wants me to be.”

Though it wasn’t an intentional mission when he signed his first record deal in 2000, being his authentic self and creating music that reflected his values provided Morgan with a focus that has served him well. Over the years, he’s earned nearly 2.5 billion streams and charted over 25 songs, including such memorable hits as “International Harvester,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Little Bit of Life,” “Almost Home” and “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” which spent four weeks at the top of the chart, placing No. 1 on Billboard’s end of the year country chart.

Morgan will be serving up those signature hits as he joins pal Blake Shelton on his “Friends & Heroes” Tour. “I’m excited about that tour and getting to spend time with some of my favorite people,” Morgan says of the trek which will also include Trace Adkins, Deana Carter and Emily Ann Roberts. “Blake and I have been friends for many years. I love him and Trace. I know there’s going to be some shenanigans so I’m really looking forward to that.”

He’s also looking forward to sharing music from American Soundtrack. The songs are a reflection of Morgan’s life, his love of country, appreciation for his roots and dedicated work ethic. A 17-year veteran of the Army and Army Reserve, in 2023, Morgan enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve once again while standing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to his military and music careers, he’s also a best-selling author, noted outdoorsman, actor, and TV personality whose credits include Beyond The Edge, Craig’s World, After The Storm, Morgan Family Strong, All Access Outdoors, Rizzoli & Isles, Army Wives and more.

In crafting American Soundtrack, Morgan once again worked with longtime co-producer Phil O’Donnell. “He knows me musically better than anyone,” Morgan smiles. “We probably do more in pre-production than most people do for an entire album. We spend a lot of time making notes, going back and forth before we even go into the studio. When we get in the studio, we leave some of the creative stuff to the musicians, but we already have a direction. We know what we’re doing musically. I hardly ever sing one of the songs more than three times to get my vocals. On a couple of these songs, the track that we used for the vocals was the track that I got while we were recording the instrumentals.”

Morgan co-wrote all but one of the songs on the six-track EP and says the goal was to create music that felt familiar and inviting. “I wanted it to feel as familiar as ‘Almost Home,’” he says of his iconic hit. “I wanted every song to be relatable and I feel like we accomplished that. I feel like every song has this warm, comfortable feel like you are wrapping up in your favorite blanket. I want the guy who gets up and goes to work as a plumber, electrician, banker, investment advisor or whatever to hear my songs and say, ‘Oh man! That reminds me of something’ or ‘It made me think.’ That’s what music is supposed to do.”

“I believe the majority of people in this nation can relate to something in each song on this project,” he continues. “I absolutely love songwriting. God has given me a gift that allows me to impact other people’s lives. That is a blessing and I’ve learned not to take it for granted.”

In a voice strong, warm and self-assured, Morgan has long represented the hard-working, God-fearing people that are the backbone of America. Each song on American Soundtrack is infused with Morgan’s faith and patriotism. “‘Blue Collar Prayer’ is an American prayer and it’s a very emotional song,” he says. “It’s the common man’s prayer and it’s very impactful to think about someone humbling themselves and asking God for whatever they need, which is usually the simple things.”

Another standout track on the project is “Who I’m From,” which examines the people who make us who we are. “There’s been a lot of songs written about ‘Where I’m From,’ but I think where we come from is less important than who we come from. This song celebrates our influences—family, teachers, the military, our Savior. We incorporate all of that.”

“Country Education,” penned by Morgan, O’Donnell and Wade Kirby is a swampy-sounding ode to the commonsense life lessons that can’t be learned in a classroom. Hosting American Plumber Stories, helped inspire this blue-collar anthem. “I’m not a plumber but through the series, I have met some of the most fascinating people,” says Morgan, a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2008. “These are people who don’t have college degrees. Most of them went to trade schools and then launched these amazing careers. ‘Country Education’ stems from some of these interactions that I’ve had with these hard-working tradespeople. I would never degrade the value of a college education, but there’s truly something to be said about the importance of the education that you get in life. That’s what ‘Country Education’ is about. It’s about life. It’s about knowing that if the cows are laying down, there’s going to be a storm; knowing your corn has to be processed before a certain month. It’s about everything you learn living in the country.”

The title track is a buoyant anthem that celebrates the music that has become a soundtrack for our lives. It’s one of those nostalgic songs that will make you roll down the windows and sing along. It feels like Morgan is inviting the listener on a journey that is too good to miss as he pays homage to musical icons from Kenny Rogers to Ted Nugent to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Willie Nelson. “We brought up songs that have impacted us and some are classics like ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’” he says. “That music represents much of the people in America. It’s the soundtrack of our country.”

“God’s Problems” is the only outside cut on the set, and even though Morgan didn’t write the song, it resonates with him deeply. “I live that song. I truly do,” he says. “I believe in what it says and every day I work hard to not be one of God’s problems. I try not to be one of those guys that God is having to work hard at trying to straighten up. There’s a resurgence in our society right now of people trying to overcome adversities and to do better in life. You can see it in our format. Jelly Roll, especially, is the template for that. He’s changing people’s lives, and I’d like to think that I’m doing the same thing.”

Indeed, Morgan is making a difference and is known almost as much for his philanthropy as his music. He’s been a longtime ambassador for Operation Finally Home, which provides mortgage-free, custom-built homes and home modifications for veterans, first responders and their families. He’s done nearly 20 overseas tours for our troops where he has entertained more than 45,000 service members and military families in 15 countries.

Giving back and making the world a better place is perpetually on Morgan’s agenda, and he’s hoping the songs on American Soundtrack will not only entertain but make a difference. “I hope these songs create positive energy,” Morgan says. “I want people to feel inspired. I want people to laugh and enjoy what we do, but I also hope it makes them feel motivated to do good, to live a good life and to be kind. I believe we should live our lives in accordance with God’s truth; in honesty, fairness, kindness, love, and generosity. When you are doing all those things everything else will just fall into place.

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