Willie Morrison has always been one to view things from a different perspective and seize the opportunities that come his way.
Willie grew up in Washington, D.C. with a supportive family who introduced him not only to the various aspects of government and politics, but also the importance of philanthropy, a solid work-ethic, and, most notably, the joy of music. His father loved all live music -- blues, rock, jazz, country -- and Willie jumped at every chance he got to attend shows with him. The music of Delbert McClinton and Merle Haggard to Eric Clapton and Little Feat inspired Willie to begin piano and guitar lessons as a young kid, eventually developing his songwriting skills alongside his high school guitar teacher.
While he played college baseball at Occidental College in Los Angeles for a year, it was The Morrison Brothers Band Willie started with his brother, Truman, that became his focus. The band would sell tickets on campus for their L.A. club gigs, and they built a following in the area. When Willie transferred to the University of Miami to study political science, the band adjusted their touring route up and down the east coast covering Florida, Baltimore, D.C, Philadelphia, and New York City.
A chance meeting with artist, Maggie Rose (another D.C. area native), led to a move to Nashville in 2015. Rose signed on to produce the band’s first EP, and the band was signed to an artist development deal that began to open doors to more opportunities. After performing on the Miss World 2017 telecast, writing the theme song for the Washington Capitals hockey team, and earning a Top 3 video on the CMT 12 Pack Countdown for their single, “Loud Love”, the band agreed to go separate ways.
This opened up the biggest door for Willie so far: a solo career.
"I like the freedom and the power to do what I want 100%. It’s been nice to take it in my own direction. I’m excited I can make this exactly how I want it to be,” Willie says. “I’m not here to keep everything between the lines -- it doesn’t have to be right down the middle. I want it to be original.”
This penchant for coloring outside the lines is evident on his latest One More EP. The project includes previously released singles such as “Heartbreak Girl” and a brand new song, “Homie.” The collection showcases Morrison’s knack for blending his soulful pop sensibilities with contemporary country, and tracks sizzle with ebullient lyrics and feel-good vibes, complete with percolating percussion, sweeping choruses, and playful innuendos.
“I’ve been experimenting and evolving as an artist and songwriter over the past couple of years. And this EP encapsulates this chapter where I’ve taken chances with sounds, written with writers who’ve become friends, and gained so much confidence through the whole journey.”
The new track, “Homie”, was a labor of love and went through various phases of writing and production to get it just right. Willie says, “I wanted the meaning of the word homie to expand into love. A homie is a person you are super close with…and for me, what would be better than dating your best friend? I think most of us want to think of our partner in that way. Sonically, blending pop and country the way we did was definitely challenging, but I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out.”
Willie’s creative songwriting and versatility has also led to other artists recording his songs -- from Ashland Craft [“Make It Past Georgia”], Brothers Osborne [“I Smoke Weed” with Ashland Craft], and Clay Walker to 5x Grammy-nominee, Shemekia Copeland, and American Idol winner Maddie Poppe.
As Willie looks ahead to bringing his new music to both his longtime fans and new audiences, he embraces this chance to stake his claim in the country music pantheon.
He says, “Country has a significantly broad range of sounds and ways to tell stories, and that’s the beauty of it. To each his own. And there’s a place for everyone — whether you’re black or white, gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, or whether you grew up fishing and hunting or grew up in the city — there’s a common chord that runs through country music that can strike everyone.”