Catch Of The Week: Grace Morrison
Meet Grace Morrison from Wareham, now residing in Rochester, MA
When I listen to Grace Morrison, I hear honesty. Every note is seemingly steeped in truth. Her voice is pure and her message clear. Grace doesn’t fit a mold, and mostly likely doesn’t want to. She embraces all kinds of sounds, modern and traditional. You can hear similarities and influences, but when the words leave her mouth and she plays the chords she’s arranged, it’s all just so genuine. There is country at the core, there is folk at the front, Americana all around. Call it what you will. Call it joyful. Even when the subject is not joyful, the feeling you get from Morrison’s delivery is. You know she is happy to be singing, happy to have written the song, and happy to be performing it. How can you not listen?
It took all of 5 years for Grace Morrison to start singing. She said, “as a child I was shy. My parents said sign up for soccer. When I saw I had to play with other kids…I said “nope. So my dad sent me to piano lessons. I liked that. It was me and another adult, the teacher. Then I heard Hanson…Specifically “MMMbop.” I wanted to marry one of them. The second I saw them I wanted to join them, meet them, and I never put down a musical instrument after that.” In her teen years she started writing songs, and was really inspired by Lilith Fair. That inspiration led her to pick up the guitar; which led her to a career as a backup singer for rock legends like Eddie Money and Joey Molland (of the band Badfinger). As a singer/songwriter she has won dozens of awards. She even won a competition (“Big Break”) that let to her music video being played on a season finale of American Idol.
Grace and her husband recently welcomed their first child into this world, and now there is even more inspiration to create more joyful, honest music.
Got Grace
Grace has been a very busy making music and making a “person,” as she told me. We were fortunate to get her in studio to share both!
Morrison’s exquisite songwriting skills are on display in “They Don’t Like Me”
Grace had some help writing this beauty from a noted songwriter and Massachusetts resident, take a listen to “Just Loving You”
More On Morrison
- Instruments played: Guitar, piano, and accordion.
- How would you describe your sound: Singer-songwriter, country, Americana. Hopefully Tom Petty and Lori McKenna☺
- Who inspires you: My husband and my baby.
- Awards/accolades:
2019 SERFA Official Showcase Artist
2018 NERFA Folk DJ Showcase Artist
2018 SERFA Official Showcase Artist (alternate)
2018 WSM: Nashville Road Show Semi-Finalist
2017 Blast on the Bay Festival Emerging Artist
2017 Eventide New England Songwriting Finalist
2016 Eventide New England Songwriting Grand Prize
2016 Wildflower Festival Singer-Songwriter Finalist
2016 Telluride, Colorado Folk Festival Songwriter (Honorable Mention)
2015 New England Music Grassroots Award
2014 WPRI American Idol Big Break Winner
2013 Limelight Music Band of the Year
Voice of Cardis Furniture Holiday Campaign
- All- time favorite country song: “Walking After Midnight” -Patsy Cline
- Favorite country concert: Hayes Carll
- If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing: I teach music now…does that count? Otherwise I’d totally be an historian.
- Most proud moment: Finishing my first full length CD. Well, that and snorkeling in the Bahamas.
- Craziest thing that ever happened …either performing or meeting a fan or in your music career: One time I definitely had a fan that was “dancing” so close to my mic that it kept smacking into my teeth when I was singing. I once had a fan send me a mix tape of himself singing Randy Travis cover songs. I had another fan that left me history books on my car while I was singing.
- Frivolous fun facts: Kathy Mattea’s “Where’ve you Been” makes me “ugly” cry. Every. Single. Time. I tried to write a concept album about all of Henry VIII’s wives; I am fascinated and wrote a song about the Titanic (A Warmer Night); I have tiny feet (like so small that I have to special order shoes); I worked at King Richard’s Faire.
- Mantra: “Cut the SH#T” It was my dad’s last words to me before he passed.
Grace Gigs
-
MAY 3 FRI
Grace Morrison: Reasons Album Release -
MAY 4 SAT
Grace Morrison at Off the Common Coffeehouse -
MAY 18 SAT
Open Book Coffeehouse -
JUL 6 SAT
New Bedford Folk Festival
Morrison On The Map
Every week, Kruser’s Local Catch highlights New England’s homegrown country music talent, and tells you where to catch them locally and in Nashville. Click here to view previous catches.
The Local Catch is powered by Shiner Bock, independently brewed in Texas, for Boston’s independent spirit. Boston is Shiner country!
*Singer/songwriters with original music: Please submit for consideration on The Local Catch by emailing Kruser at carolyn.kruse@bbgi.com
