Country breathes in Nashville, and country artists come far and wide to witness the love of music float through the town, hoping they land on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry one day. Well, this fresh, up and coming country singer/songwriter, William Michael Morgan, made his way to Music City with that very dream. At only 26 years old with a #1 Hit single, this country star is one to keep your eye on!
Originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, WMM grew up surrounded by musicians. It didn’t take long for him to get his first guitar at the age of 11 and begin plucking strings alongside his father. Although William says, “I didn’t really get into it at first, I was about 11 or 12 when I started playing with my dad, and he would show me chords and we’d play around the house.” Finding his love of music around this time, he put together a band with musicians, probably twice his age.
It came like second nature, and by the time he was 14, he was playing in barrooms all around Mississippi to Atlanta, with band members much older than him. He truly gained passion for music very early on, with inspirations from country music legends like Waylon Jennings, Keith Whitley, and George Jones, as he calls them, “The country singers that really paved their own way and did it themselves… put out real music.”
One thing William always knew was that he wanted to sing and perform, in some capacity. It wasn’t an exact moment as he describes, that he knew he wanted to pursue music full time. It was a collection of moments from on stage in barrooms, playing with his family, and just his overall love for music, that brought him where he is today. He also vows that his parents were very supportive during this time and would drive him to and from shows, not to mention, his father would seek opportunities for him online.
As he got older, his sound developed into a delicate mixture of traditional honky-tonk soul and modern country, snatching the attention of country lovers high and low. William describes that he definitely grew up quickly in this business, and his sound matured with him as he began to write his own material.
At 19, he made the big move to Nashville. He says, “I, and I am not joking you, left with a laundry basket of clothes, a small 32” TV, a dresser, and my guitar, in my Chevy Cavalier and drove it from Mississippi to Nashville.” The true encapsulation of a young, excitable artist, he landed in Nashville in 2012 and hasn’t look back since. Shortly after, receiving a record and publishing deal with Warner Bros Nashville.
When it comes to country music, it has to come straight from the soul. And that is exactly what struck a chord when his producers heard him sing. Looking for William Michael Morgan’s first hit, William got the chance to hear “I Met A Girl,” originally demoed by Sam Hunt. He absolutely loved it and was immediately taken by the lyrics of the song. He recalls thinking, “I love this, but it isn’t me.” He shared, “My producers were like, just trust us, we’ll make it you.” They went to work and truly made William proud as it became a #1 Hit single and remained on the charts for 58 weeks, which broke a record on the billboard charts.
Today, I Met A Girl has over 18 million views on Vevo and countless more on his music platforms. His fans fell in love with the song as much as he did, and shares, “It really makes me proud when I learn stories from fans and how they connect with the songs. You know, that it was their first dance song, or that they showed it to their girl and fell in love. I love hearing the stories, it’s truly incredible to me.”
His love for music and his fans has brought him opportunities he could have never imagined. Getting to play with and open for country music masterminds like Garth Brooks, Justin Moore, and Lee Brice, was truly an honor for him. Not to mention, playing at the Grand Ole Opry a total of over 60 times. His dreams are coming true every day, and the sky is truly the limit for this honky-tonk star.
When asked what 2020 has in store, he easily replied, “A lot of music.” His plans for new music in 2020 is exciting us all, as he shared he would release over 15 songs in 2020! Focusing on music will be his number one goal, besides taking time to spend with his immediate family and his amazing 4-year old little girl. He also loves to visit his parents in Vicksburg, and frequently takes the trip down to see them.
His focus on music this year will include a tour of not just the states, but internationally. Stops like the United Kingdom and Liechtenstein are currently on the list, as well as many cities throughout the nation. William is excited to branch off from the country loving cities like Nashville and Dallas, and make his mark all over the world!
Stay up to date with William Michael Morgan! Join the club today to get updates on new shows and tour dates, old music, and new music!
Listen to his new track “Whiskey Kinda Night” on all platforms, and new music video on YouTube.
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Stream his music on all music platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Beamstar