Concert News

Morgan Evans Performs at Rising Star Showcase

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Morgan Evans knew what he wanted to do after he saw a Keith Urban concert in his home of Newcastle, Australia in 2004. The then 19-year-old singer/songwriter had worked in many different types of bands throughout his high school years, but realized that country music was what best suited him.

“It was just the best thing I’d ever seen,” Evans recalls. “I grew up listening to country music and rock music, and he was the first artist that combined all those rock & roll and pop elements with the country sound in a way that made me think that’s exactly what I needed to be doing.”

He was quickly making a name for himself with his music in Australia and was asked to open for Taylor Swift and Alan Jackson in 2011. He went on to perform at a CMA Music Festival global showcase in 2014.

Evans knew he needed to grow and started to make regular trips to Nashville for two to three weeks at a time. So, in 2015 he decided to make the move official.

When he was in Nashville he started to work with songwriter and producer, Chris DeStefano who has written hits for Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean. Evans turned his initial intimidation of Nashville into inspiration with the help of DeStefano.

“I feel like that was the start of the journey of things starting to click, like if I bring the right emotion into a room then I feel like we can come up with something great with what I really want to say,” he says. “Even though it took a while to get there, when things started to click and feel good, I look back on being lost and confused and doubting [myself] and I just appreciate every second of that so much now.”

Evans was definitely clicking with other songwriters, but finding musicians to form a band with wasn’t as easy. So, he decided to use a loop pedal and do his shows all on his own. The loop pedal allows the musician to record short passages on an instrument and plays them back in a loop. The tool is operated using your feet, which leaves your hands free to play the guitar.

“It wasn’t something I just picked up, I definitely put some hours in — it’s like learning another instrument,” he says. “But it’s starting to feel like an extension of what I do, and I’m really enjoying introducing myself that way.”

Evans was starting to see the success of his songwriting after working with DeStefano and others and was named the CMA Global Artist of the Year in 2016. He signed his first U.S. record deal with Warner Music Nashville in May of this year. In July, he made his U.S. debut with the love song “Kiss Somebody,” the first song that he wrote with DeStefano.

He has a few more songs that he will be releasing soon, which he refers to as “the chronicles of my life since 2014.” He will also be touring with Lee Brice and Josh Turner on a few of their dates this fall.  If all of that isn’t enough, he is also planning his wedding later this year to fellow country singer Kelsea Ballerini, whom he attributes much of his success to over the past year or so since they met.

“She played a role in supporting me and believing in me. But the fact that she’s just a great singer and songwriter and artist, she’s a worthwhile and unique perspective,” Evans says.

Evans is “equal parts excited, equal parts nervous” about everything that is yet to come as he chases his dream. He hopes that it’s just the beginning of a long journey of getting to play music in this part of the world.

Morgan Evans will be performing at the WQMX Rising Star Showcase at Legends Sports Pub & Grille in Green, Ohio on Thursday, October 12. The show starts at 8:30pm and will be followed by a Meet & Greet with Evans. Admission is FREE.

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