morgan-wallen-opens-songs-shaped-growing-up

Morgan Wallen Opens Up About Songs That Shaped Him Growing Up

Morgan Wallen grew up in the small town of Sneedville, Tennessee, and while the country star idolized singers like Eric Church, he has a wild side. We can use our imagination which songs shaped Wallen as he grew up. 

Just about all of us have a song or band we can look back on and attribute it to the person we are today. For 27-year-old Morgan Wallen, he credits numerous artists for getting him through each stage of his life. 

Morgan Wallen Was Obsessed with This Song As a Kid

As a child, the country artist says that he was “obsessed with” a song from the movie, “O Brother, Where Art Thou.” where the fictional Soggy Bottom Boys performed their cover of “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow.”

“It’s a song that I was obsessed with as a child,” he said. “I grew up in Sneedville, Tennessee, and bluegrass was something that was very prominent there. That’s just one of the first songs that I remember hearing. It makes me happy, even though it’s a song about sorrow and suffering. It’s a warm spot in my heart because it’s one of the first songs other than, you know, hymns that I was really introduced to.”

Morgan Wallen grew up a preacher’s son, so a hymn he said he often would hear in church was Alan Jackson’s 2006 version of “The Old Rugged Cross.” Wallen credits this song for making him want to become a musician. 

“I really love Alan Jackson, just his whole catalog. I think he’s one of the best songwriters and singers ever. I think he really captured the feeling behind that song, and I really connected to the melody and the words. It meant a lot to me as a kid. I learned it then, and it helped me develop my love for music as a whole.”

Morgan Wallen’s First Album

As a teen, Morgan Wallen strayed from his soft church music and into a rock ‘n’ roll phase. We can only hope that involved him parting his hair in his face while wearing dark clothing. 

In addition, the country artist reveals that the first album he ever bought was Breaking Bad’s 2006 record Phobia

“I was getting into my teenage years and starting to have a little bit more freedom than I’d had in the past as far as making choices, whether that’s with music or anything in life. I went through a phase where I really liked that kind of rock ‘n’ roll music. My dad really likes rock ‘n’ roll, so I think I probably got that from him.”

As for Wallen’s rebellious teen phase, he turned to Nickelback’s song “Someday.”

“I went through the phase of where I mostly listened to rock, that kind of rock,” he said. “That song has a hopeful message, and it gave me a good feeling about what the future held. I did, pretty much, you name it. I snuck out, definitely yelled at my parents a couple of times. That quickly ended, though; my dad put a stop to that.”

Wallen added that during his time as a know-it-all teenager, he butted heads with his dad, but honestly, didn’t we all during that phase. 

“Me and my dad, we’re very similar, and we butted heads a little bit while I was going through that time because he was just looking out for me,” he added. “But I thought I knew everything like most people do when they’re that age. So it helped with that. And luckily, me and my dad are really, really close now. So we got through it.”

Hits All the Genres

Morgan Wallen also says he went through phases where he listened to rap artists like Lil Wayne and Gucci Mane and then would switch the channel to Eric Church

Quiet the range. 

When asked what song he has on his playlist that would surprise people, he answered that “Pain” by The War on Drugs might come as a shock to some. While a hit Wallen wishes he could take credit for would be Eric Church’s iconic song “Springsteen.”

Finally, when asked what song is equivalent to happiness to him, Morgan Wallen chose “Take It Easy” by The Eagles. 

“This song is one that made me feel like everything was good and right in the world. I still get those same feelings when I listen to it every single time. Life can bring lots of stress for everyone. Music is my main way of dealing with that, and this song just really perfectly takes you to a place that makes you feel alright.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7lFY58MK14

Morgan Wallen has thankfully stuck to country and recently released a hit album Dangerous: The Double Album. 

[H/T People]