Country singer Craig Morgan. (Photo courtesy photorazzi.com)
Oct 30. 2006—Country singer Craig Morgan is a busy man. The father of five co-produced his new "Little Bit of Life" disc, continues to tour extensively and is quick to answer the call to visit troops abroad as part of his ongoing support of the USO.
Morgan recently found the time to stop by the set of GAC's On The Streets to talk with host Suzanne Alexander about his soon-to-be-released fourth album. That episode airs at 1:30 pm ET, Tuesday, Oct. 31, and again at 10 pm ET.
He doesn't hide behind his traditional values or his love of the simpler life—even going so far as to include actual tractor sound effects on a track titled "International Harvester." Morgan accepts his reputation proudly, saying, "As an artist you have to strive to have an identity at all. I'm proud that that's the one I've been stamped with."
Four of the new disc's songs are his own compositions, adding an extremely personal touch to the project. "Who I Am" describes the 41-year-old as both "a good ol' boy" and "a dreamer." "I profess my Christianity and some people say you shouldn't do that and then talk about drinking a beer," he says. "But that's why I wrote this song—because I am everything in this song."
His wife Karen influenced "My Kind of Woman." "Men have scales (in classifying women) ... from the redneck female up to the politically correct female," he explains. "My wife covers the entire gamut. She's my kind of woman."
Morgan stays busy on the road, touring upwards of 200 days a year. And while he is equally at home in either a club or an arena, there is something about the intimacy of a club that he finds appealing. "The crowds are a bit more energetic, and anytime you have the opportunity to be a bit more intimate with the audience, it's more fun for me."
It's no surprise that he's logged several trips to visit troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as he spent 10 years active duty as an Army Ranger (Special Forces). "I remember being a soldier and having people come over and entertain and it really makes a difference. For just a few moments it takes you away and brings you back home."
He was awarded the USO Merit Award for his support of US soldiers and their families. Morgan will celebrate the release of his album Oct. 31 with a visit to Ft. Hood, where he will assist in putting together goody bags for soldiers as well as perform for the volunteers involved with the program.
Craig Morgan tour dates:
Nov. 3, Reynolds Park Amphitheatre, Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Nov. 9, First Avenue Club, Iowa City, Iowa
Nov. 11, Casino Aztar, Caruthersville, Mo.
Nov. 12, Nashville North, Taylorville, Ill.
Nov. 17, Dupin County Events Center, Kenansville, N.C.
Nov. 18, Cattle Annie's, Lynchburg, Va.
Nov. 20, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tenn.
Nov. 24, The NorVa, Norfolk, Va.
Nov. 25, Turning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.
Dec. 8, Wild Bills, Duluth, Ga.
(Ronna Rubin, a 21-year veteran of the music industry, can be contacted at ronna@gacmusicbeat.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
RSS Feeds