The country music sensation climbing the charts, Morgan Wallen, is ready to rock the town this Saturday at Starkville’s own Rick’s Café. This small town “good ole boy” has always had a passion for music.
When did your passion for music begin?
“I started singing as soon as I could make noise. My dad was a preacher, so my mom threw me up on the stage when I was like three and I fell in love with it. I always had a thing for music, but never thought I could make a career out of it. I moved to Nashville in 2015, and I’ve been rocking ever since.”
What or who influenced your sound?
“My Dad most definitely. He listened to classic rock like Led Zeppelin all the time, and I grew up listening and loving it. I grew up listening to Bad Company. My mom listened to a lot of Christian contemporary too, but I don’t know if you’d call that an influence. When you come to my show, you can really hear the classic rock influence in my songs.” 
What’s it like going from a small town to having fame?
“I mean it really doesn’t feel that much different, at least not to me. There’s just a lot more pressure, and a lot more people are counting on me, which I guess is different. I’m super thankful that I come from a small town because it left me with certain values, and I’m forever thankful for that.
Tell me about your time on “The Voice.”
“Yeah, that was back in 2014. My mom actually signed me up, I didn’t even know what the show was. I was 20 when I was on the show, I didn’t even really know how to sing to be my best. I just wanted to sing country, but the show wanted me to sing pop, so I started writing songs, but I really didn’t know who I was as an artist yet. The show was a super positive stepping stone for me because it taught me how to sing raspy, and shaped me into the artist I am now.
What is the story behind the hit “Whiskey Glasses”?
“Yeah well, it was based on heartbreak, so it’s a heartbreak song. I didn’t want it to be a typical sad song though I wanted it to be clever. We did a play on words ‘P-O-O-R me’ and ‘P-O-U-R me,’ which is pretty clever I think. This song seems to be climbing the charts right now, which is awesome. There seems to be a lot of hype surrounding it. It’s crazy how a song rooted in heartbreak can give you so much joy.”
Your show in Starkville is sold out, do you plan on coming back?
“I’ve never been to Starkville, but my buddy who’s opening for me loves it down there, so I’m excited to come down. You never know what could happen, I’d love to come back. These sold-out shows end up having some of the best crowds, so I’d love to have the chance to come back, but you never know.”