Will Morton’s “Good Ol’ Boys Don’t Cry” — “came from being raised that men have to be tough and always carry the weight of the world.”
Born and raised in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Besides Gus’s Country Rock Club, where can first time visitors go to hear the best in local country music in your hometown?
Other than Gus’s, the Lime Light, which used to be the original Tar Heel, is the only live music hall left in our hometown. The Tar Heel has some great roots in history with acts like Tim McGraw performing many years ago. I had the opportunity to open for Michael Ray when he came through town at this venue.
You started your musical journey as a teen rock drummer in a metal band. You mastered the drums and the guitar on your way to touring with the metal band Foundry. Can you share a favorite memory from your time on the road with the band?
Playing with Foundry was a great time in my life. We were like brothers and I have fond memories of getting to spend time on the road together and do what we loved. We played with multiple national metal bands, and the highlight was going on the road with In This Moment. In This Moment, at that time, was just really making a big name for themselves so sharing the stage with them was a true honor. In their first album release, they thanked Foundry in a list of bands that included Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne among many other greats.
Is there a classic movie you’d love to be a part of if it were ever remade? If so, which one and why?
Definitely The Goonies! I think this is probably still one of my all time favorites. As a kid, I always wanted to search for pirate lore from the coast of NC, where Blackbeard made his final port.
Your passion for country music was ignited by Pop and Gaga, your grandparents, watching “Hee Haw” and the “Grand Ole Opry” with them. How have country legends like Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Keith Whitley, and Little Jimmy Dickens shaped you as an artist?
Being raised on country music, I learned to love the story behind the music. Country music gives an outlet to share stories about family, life, love, loss. I love the emotional connection I get when listening to country music and it brings me back to the time I got to spend with my grandparents. Music can take you to a specific time and place in your life and you can remember the emotion, smell the smells, feel the feelings of that exact moment in time.
You’ve owned several successful businesses, providing services for film and video games, including sound design, studio and location recording, editing, mixing, mastering, composition, and production. How has this enhanced your creative vision for your own projects?
I’ve actually been an owner operator of multiple construction businesses from flooring to siding distribution, installed sales, to land development and single-family construction. I’m a fully licensed general contractor and knowing how to do all of these trades. I was taught as a young kid that as long as you know how to do everything, you’ll always have a job. I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have the opportunities I have had and to be successful, whether it was on the job training or mentoring from my stepfather. Running businesses has helped me fully understand what it takes to create a business and operate a business in any industry. Although the music industry is hard to navigate as it is ever evolving, it has laid the groundwork for my venture into music and building a career with a sound business model while still being able to get my story out and share my artistic views.
Life-changing decision to get sober in 2013. This commitment has defined your personal and professional journeys since. What resources would you suggest for others just starting out on the same path?
I made the decision to get sober shortly after getting married, as myself and my wife were ready to have kids. It was a huge undertaking and a long struggle, but through God, I was able to get my life back in order. I now have two beautiful children, my son who is 10 years old and my daughter who is nine years old. I knew the person I was could never be a father, and I’m so fortunate to have had the strength to overcome the addictions and struggles in life to be able to provide them with everything they need in life, and to fully be present for them. My family is my entire world and family is the most important thing we have. Everything I do is for them.
The song, “Mama Told Me,” is a tribute to mothers and their role in raising children. What has been the best advice your own single mother shared with you?
Being raised by a single mother, I got to watch the strength she had to work to provide what she could for us and wear the hat of both a mother and a father. My mom had to deal with two boys who were very hard to deal with, and both of us took a path that led us down the dark road. My mother never gave up on me or my brother and always supported us in everything we did. My mom is my true hero and I could not imagine my life being where it is today without her.
My song, “Good Ol’ Boys Don’t Cry,” is the story of the stereotypical archetype of being a man and what that means by looking through my own eyes at my son, and watching him grow and feeling the emotions of love from the moment I saw him. But no matter how tough I am, as a man, you never truly understand the strength a woman has as a single mother, or a mother in general, as the backbone of what holds your family together. My mother always told me to never be a follower and always be a leader. She always told me the company that I keep would be my downfall because I surrounded myself with bad influences.
If I could give anybody any advice at all, it is that your mother typically knows what is best for you, and even if it’s not the right option or the right timing in your life, she will always have your best interest at heart and do everything in her power to protect you and make sure you’re safe.
“‘Good Ol’ Boys Don’t Cry’ came from being raised that men have to be tough and always carry the weight of the world. After the birth of my son and seeing the innocence in his eyes and the pure heart he wears on his sleeve, I find myself getting emotional over the smallest things he does or changes in his life. This song is letting him know to not be ashamed. It’s okay to cry.” Co-written with Mark McKee and Chris Ayer, what societal expectations do you believe specifically need to change?
I just wanted to let everyone know that we are all just people, and no matter where you come from, what your environment is, we all have emotions. It’s okay to let walls down and allow yourself to feel.
Directed and filmed by Justin Hammond, the “Good Ol’ Boys Don’t Cry” music video, was shot in a Nashville hotel room overlooking the city, to reflect the frequent periods of time your work separates you from your family, while you struggle to suppress your own emotions. Can you share a fan story of how the song’s message has impacted their own lives?
I feel very fortunate to have so many people reaching out to me in regards to “Good Ol’ Boys Don’t Cry.” Many parents have told me that they have shared this with their sons after hearing the meaning behind the song letting them know no matter how tough they are, it’s okay to be human at the end of the day. And many have shared the struggles either they or their kids have gone through and how this song gave them hope and touched their heart! It’s okay to share your love for your family and it’s okay to become emotional no matter how tough you are.
Next single, “Grace in the Wrong Place.” Can you share the backstory of your next release?
“Grace In The Wrong Place” will be the second release of my first album, and I’m very excited to get this song out. This song was very close to me and that was the struggle I went through trying to find some type of release from whatever I was dealing with in my life. You think that you’re trying to mask some sort of buried feelings or maybe it starts out as just fun hanging out with friends drinking until it becomes a lifestyle and an addiction. In the song, trying to find that and looking in the wrong places, whether it’s in a bottle of alcohol and confessing your pain to a bartender, is a metaphor for the exact wrong things to do in life. When listening to the song, you will hear the melody of “Amazing Grace” which carries throughout the song. The premise behind this is that God‘s grace is always there if you listen for it. But if you’re not listening for it and hearing it, you’ll never find it.
Blending classic country storytelling with modern influences from pop and Americana, your upcoming album, The Long Way, is a twelve-song collection that tells your story. How hard is it to put your life into song lyrics?
I’ve been a songwriter for over a decade and I’ve had times where I could write a song in minutes and times where it would take me months to write a song. To put my own life on paper was a roller coaster of emotion reliving past experiences. Although a lot of these experiences are not part of my life today, they are my story. I still remember where I was in that specific moment, and I can still feel the pain and regret that I had while living that life. My past doesn’t define me, but it has led me to where I am today and made me stronger. I’ve had the pleasure to work with great writers on this album including Chris Ayer, Mark McKee, Jeffery East, and Chris Raffetto. Each one of us have pieces of our lives intertwined in my story, as we all share the fact that we all love, make mistakes, try to learn and grow everyday. Writing with this team has truly helped me find the words to tell my story.
Inspiring others by sharing your message of hope and resilience through your music. Which other artists have most inspired you in your personal life?
There are so many artists that I love for so many different reasons. When I listen to songs, although I love the artists, I don’t specifically just listen to an artist because I like that person. I look for songs that make me feel any emotion. I’ve said this hundreds of times in interviews, but my music teacher growing up always told me that music is a tonal analogy of emotive life. And I am not sure who originally said those words, but it has always stuck with me. My current favorite artists are Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Luke Combs, as well as some of the greats like Randy Travis, Keith Whitley, and George Strait.