Morgan Evans (04/04/2014)
Just recently you took out 3 x CMC awards. What's your take on Australia's country music scene in terms of young people breaking in?
It's an exciting thing to be a part of at the moment. With new acts like Busby Marou, Ash Dallas & Adam Eckersley Band all out there doing their thing I think the future of Australian Country Music is looking very strong!
You have travelled around the globe playing your brand of country music. Where is your favourite place to play?
Ha! Just one? It's all about the interaction with the crowd for me. Where ever there's a stage, a bar and a bunch of people ready for a good time, I'm IN! That said, we've had some pretty amazing opportunities over the last year; The Deni Ute Muster is always a highlight & the CMC Rocks Festivals, in both the Hunter and Nth QLD, are really taking Country Music in Australia to the next level!
You wrote the album in Nashville collaborating with local artists. what was the inspiration to record in Nashville and not somewhere else?
I think it's a natural thing for anyone interested in Country music to want to spend time in Nashville. It's the home, it's Music City and that's not just a fancy name. People from all over the world travel, and often move, to Nashville to make music. Everyone from the biggest Country acts to The Black Keys, Kings Of Leon, Paramore, Jack White etc.
For me it's also a creative oasis. I can go there by myself, with just a guitar and wake up each day without distraction and the sole purpose to make music. I find it hard to do that at home surrounded by mates, family & surfboards ...
I do write a lot in Australia though. The first single ONE EYE FOR AN EYE was written with my best buddy here in Newcastle, Mark Wells, and I wrote CHILDHOOD HEART one Christmas in the house I grew up in.
Who was the most exciting person to collaborate with and why?
Collaborating with the big name writers is always a bit of a rush. Sitting in the room with someone who wrote some of your favourite songs is daunting but I always love the challenge. Brett James, Jeffrey Steele, Jim Lauderdale, David Lee-Murphy & Bob Dipiero all fit that description for me ... all extremely nice fellas too!
On the other side of the coin, some of my most favourite collaborations were with a Franklin, TN singer-songwriter named Alyssa Bonagura. We met in a bar while playing a songwriters round. She started singing along to my songs and we worked out that she'd actually recorded the backing vocals on my EP!!! The "While We're Young EP" was a whirlwind. I recorded my parts for the EP and had to rush back to Australia and the BV's were recorded after I'd left. That chance meeting led to writing 13 songs together over a couple of months, 4 of which wound up on the record! There's a Nashville story for ya! ha!
What's up next for Morgan Evans?
I'll be travelling as far and wide as possible, with my band, in a van, letting people know about the record and playing the songs live as often as possible! That's why we do it! Thanks for your support!
Ryan Hyde
It's an exciting thing to be a part of at the moment. With new acts like Busby Marou, Ash Dallas & Adam Eckersley Band all out there doing their thing I think the future of Australian Country Music is looking very strong!
You have travelled around the globe playing your brand of country music. Where is your favourite place to play?
Ha! Just one? It's all about the interaction with the crowd for me. Where ever there's a stage, a bar and a bunch of people ready for a good time, I'm IN! That said, we've had some pretty amazing opportunities over the last year; The Deni Ute Muster is always a highlight & the CMC Rocks Festivals, in both the Hunter and Nth QLD, are really taking Country Music in Australia to the next level!
You wrote the album in Nashville collaborating with local artists. what was the inspiration to record in Nashville and not somewhere else?
I think it's a natural thing for anyone interested in Country music to want to spend time in Nashville. It's the home, it's Music City and that's not just a fancy name. People from all over the world travel, and often move, to Nashville to make music. Everyone from the biggest Country acts to The Black Keys, Kings Of Leon, Paramore, Jack White etc.
For me it's also a creative oasis. I can go there by myself, with just a guitar and wake up each day without distraction and the sole purpose to make music. I find it hard to do that at home surrounded by mates, family & surfboards ...
I do write a lot in Australia though. The first single ONE EYE FOR AN EYE was written with my best buddy here in Newcastle, Mark Wells, and I wrote CHILDHOOD HEART one Christmas in the house I grew up in.
Who was the most exciting person to collaborate with and why?
Collaborating with the big name writers is always a bit of a rush. Sitting in the room with someone who wrote some of your favourite songs is daunting but I always love the challenge. Brett James, Jeffrey Steele, Jim Lauderdale, David Lee-Murphy & Bob Dipiero all fit that description for me ... all extremely nice fellas too!
On the other side of the coin, some of my most favourite collaborations were with a Franklin, TN singer-songwriter named Alyssa Bonagura. We met in a bar while playing a songwriters round. She started singing along to my songs and we worked out that she'd actually recorded the backing vocals on my EP!!! The "While We're Young EP" was a whirlwind. I recorded my parts for the EP and had to rush back to Australia and the BV's were recorded after I'd left. That chance meeting led to writing 13 songs together over a couple of months, 4 of which wound up on the record! There's a Nashville story for ya! ha!
What's up next for Morgan Evans?
I'll be travelling as far and wide as possible, with my band, in a van, letting people know about the record and playing the songs live as often as possible! That's why we do it! Thanks for your support!
Ryan Hyde