Morgan, Craig

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Craig Morgan

Country singer

Craig Morgan is a country singer whose music expresses his love of traditional values, patriotism, and simple comforts. On his website he noted that he is known as "the singer-songwriter who writes songs about the little things in life," and "I have a passion for making little things very visual and big, stuff that can be easily overlooked."

"We Grew up Tough"

Born in Kingston Springs, Tennessee, Morgan grew up in a small town where down-home, patriotic and traditional values were important. He wrote on his website, "We grew up tough: dirt road, singlewide trailer." His mother milked a neighbor's goat to make butter. His down-to-earth roots inspired him with a feeling of gratitude for the simpler things in life, as well as an appreciation for hard work and the people who do it. He wrote on his website that he still helps his crew load gear onto trucks for his shows: "Nobody's too good to lift boxes. I don't ever want to get so far away from the people who are out there paying the good hard-earned money to come see our shows."

Morgan became an emergency medical technician (EMT) when he was 18; he joined the Army a few years later and was stationed in South Korea. In 1989 he saw combat in Operation Just Cause in Panama, during which the United States overthrew dictator Manuel Noriega.

Morgan served over ten years and earned the rank of staff sergeant. While he was deployed in Korea, Morgan wrote songs and performed for his fellow soldiers, and he won several military singing and songwriting competitions. After leaving the military in 1996 he continued to perform for soldiers in the Middle East and elsewhere as a volunteer for the USO, work he continues to this day.

After serving in the military Morgan returned to Tennessee and did work in construction, as a security guard, and as a sheriff's deputy. He continued to sing, and eventually got a job in Nashville singing demo songs for other songwriters and music publishing companies.

The demos won Morgan a contract with Atlantic Records, and he released his debut album, Craig Morgan, in 2000. One song on the album, "Paradise," talked about his combat experiences; the song begins with a drum roll and a military marching cadence. Jon Weisberger in Country Standard Time noted that Morgan had "some real singing talent," praised his "pleasant, rich baritone voice," and commented that he had "a good feel for a country song."

"I'm Real Proud of the Army"

In August of 2001 Morgan enlisted in the Army Reserve in spectacular style: he took a parachute jump along with members of the army's Golden Knights parachute team at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. After his landing, he was sworn in as a member of the Nashville-based 86 1st Quartermaster Company (air equipment repair and supply). Like all members of the Reserve, he continued his own career but devoted weekends to the army. He served as a staff sergeant, the rank he held when he left active duty, and trained as an automated supply specialist. Morgan told Lee Elder in the Army Reserve Magazine, "I'm real proud of the Army. That's why I'm back." He added, "It looks like I'm going to have to cut my hair."

Atlantic Records folded after releasing Morgan's first album, and Morgan switched his label to Broken Bow Records, releasing I Love It in 2003. A single from the album, "Almost Home," hit the country Top 10 and won a Songwriter Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association. In Country Standard Time Jeffrey B. Renz wrote, "His singing is well suited to the material, especially when he keeps it country."

Morgan's third album, released in 2005, was titled My Kind of Livin' and included a major hit, "That's What I Love About Sunday," which spent a month at the number one spot on the Billboard chart. Other popular songs on the album included "Redneck Yacht Club," which also went to number one.

In People, Ralph Novak noted that Morgan "sings unapologetically about his guns, collard greens, rodeos and ‘a trailer with a concrete donkey in the yard,’" and commented that this honest, very down-home presentation was part of Morgan's success: the album is "one terrific, old-fashioned country CD."

"A Classic Country Singer"

In 2006 Morgan released Little Bit of Life. The album offered a view of Morgan's hard-working, low income origins, as well as his military service, family life, and pastimes, including hunting and off-road motorcycle riding. The album also had more of a live feel than on previous albums. He wrote on his website, "I just want people to hear on the record what they hear live.We try not to manipulate in the studio too much. When you go to tweaking and changing and tightening and cleaning you take away from the personality that's in the vocal." In addition to vocals, Morgan used an unusual "instrument" on this album: for the song "International Harvester," named after a popular brand of tractor, he used actual tractor sounds. In CountryStandardTime Kevin Oliver described Morgan as "a classic country singer in every sense of the word." Thomas Kintner wrote in Connecticut Music that Morgan's "vocal manner is as free of frills as the ideals he so readily espouses, but even within his comfort zone he frequently generates pleasantly down-to-earth appeals."

Morgan, who is married and has five children, performs over 200 concert dates a year. One hobby that he shares with his children is racing dirt bikes, and he maintains a track at his home where they can ride.

Morgan also continues to serve in the Reserve. In an interview in Soldiers in 2006, Morgan had this advice for soldiers who were deployed around the world: "Keep your head up and be proud of who you are and what you're doing. The men and women of the armed forces need to know that America supports them." He is also grateful for the support that he gets from his fans; he told an interviewer in CountryMusic.About.com, "I'm saddened that some of us in the industry do forget that sometimes, the fans truly are to be thanked for their support. I'm grateful to be here."

Selected discography

Craig Morgan, Atlantic, 2000.

I Love It, Broken Bow, 2003.

My Kind of Livin', Broken Bow, 2005.

Little Bit of Life, Broken Bow, 2006.

For the Record …

Born July 17, 1965, in Kingston Springs, TN; married; five children.

Signed with Atlantic Records and released Craig Morgan, 2000; moved to Broken Bow records and released I Love It, 2003; released My Kind of Livin', 2005; released Little Bit of Life, 2006.

Awards: Nashville Songwriters Association, Songwriter Achievement Award, 2003.

Addresses: Record company—Broken Bow Records, Cummins Station, 209 10th Ave. South, Ste. 230, Nashville, TN 37203.