Catch Of The Week: Grace Morrison
Meet Grace Morrison from Cape Cod
Grace Morrison has been a very successful folk artist; earning critical acclaim, multiple local and national awards, and making a living full-time as a singer/songwriter and recording artist.
Look out world, because here comes Grace Morrison, the country star!
Grace is poised to release a full length album, Daughter, on August 20, and it’s beaming with country influences, instruments, musicians and spirit. Morrison playfully pondered on this project, saying “Thing about this record that keeps making me chuckle is that the idea started as ‘Let’s make a 5 song stripped-down EP….really reinvent myself; but it turned into a fully-produced 15 song too long record, and wound up as 12 country songs.” The 12 songs of which she speaks, were all written by Grace, solely, with the exception of one, “Just Loving You,” which was co-written by Grammy Award winner and Stoughton resident, Lori McKenna. Famed pedal steel guitarist, Lloyd Maines, father of Natalie Maines of The Chicks, also contributes here.
Strikingly clear vocals, stories that keep you hanging on for the next line, and a genuineness, are all evident in Morrison’s music. She is truly an architect of songs, building chords, weaving lyrics, expertly creating art. And it hasn’t gone unrecognized. Grace won the Grand Prize of the New England Songwriting Competition, among many other accolades.
Listening to this side of Grace Morrison, I can’t help but hear our women of 90s country coming through loud and clear. There’s Pam Tillis, Lari White, The Chicks, Suzy Bogguss, Deana Carter, Patty Loveless, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea… The strong women that emerged in that era who all wrote songs, played instruments, and had something to say, and prove. With this record, Grace Morrison has proven that she is a country artist, too. And a really good one, at that.
Music by Morrison
From her soon to be released full-length album, Daughter, push play for “Small Town Lament”
Also, featured on the album, Daughter, a song Grace co-wrote with Lori McKenna. She performed this song in our studio, back in April of 2019. Watch Grace perform “Just Loving You.
Get to Know Grace
- From: Cape Cod
- Grew up in: Wareham
- Now lives in: Rochester
- Current Album: Daughter (album release August 20)
- What lead you to music: I was terribly shy-I used to hide under my mother’s shirt. Becoming confident in my musical ability was the only thing that saved me
- How old when you started: 5
- First country song you learned: “She’s Got You”-Patsy Cline
- Instruments played: Piano, acoustic, accordion
- How would you describe your sound: Lisa Loeb meets Lori McKenna
- Who inspires you: Writing with Lori McKenna re-ignited my passion for writing. My son (cheesy though it may be) is my biggest inspiration
- Awards/accolades:
2019 SWRFA Alt. Official Showcase Artist
2019 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist
2019 SERFA Official Showcase Artist
2019 Wildflower: Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Finalist
2018 NERFA Folk DJ Showcase Artist
2017 Blast on the Bay Festival Emerging Artist
2016 New England Songwriting Grand Prize
2016 Wildflower: Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Finalist
2015 New England Music Award Winner
- Dream duet partner: Lloyd Maines (Natalie Maines of the Chicks dad and Grammy-winning producer. He played A TON of pedal steel on my new album)
- All- time favorite country songs: Travelin Solder, This Old House
- First country concert: eeeeeek I’ve never been to a country concert! Emmylou Harris was at Lilith Fair though! Does that count? I think that counts.
- What songs do you like now on Country 1025: I love me some Taylor Swift, Lady A, Kacey Musgraves, and THE CHICKS!!!
- If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing: Prior to full-time writing and performing I taught 70 private music students a week! I also worked at a Renaissance Faire (and that should tell you all you need to know about me)
- Day Job (if applicable): Momming!
- Most proud moment: Buying a house on a musician’s income so my parents would have a place to live.
- Crazy thing that happened in your music career: I learned A LOT singing backup for Eddie Money and hanging with other 80’s musical icons
- Other things you like to do: Read nerdy novels, watch murder mysteries, garden
- Fun facts: I live on cranberry bogs-we are farmers! I’m obsessed with history (my first music video was filmed at Plimoth Plantation, and I was a tour guide at the Fearing Tavern in Wareham for 10 years-the house was built in 1690. I’m basically a Wareham history expert), my first album was written entirely about King Henry VIII and his wives.
- Mantra: I may not be the best at everything, but I am GREAT at not quitting.
Grace Gigs
-
August 3–Dover’s Outdoor Summer Concert Series @ 7:00pm, Dover, MA
-
August 7– Grace Morrison Album Release at Harmony House Concerts, Yarmouth, MA
- October 2– Songwriter Serenade Finalist- Texas
- October 10– Black Bear Americana Music Festival 12:00, Goshen, CT
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.
*Singer/songwriters with original music: Please submit for consideration on The Local Catch by emailing: [email protected]
