After over a decade as the centerpiece of popular Americana band The Whiskey Gentry, Lauren Morrow packed her bags, her dogs, her cats, and husband and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a solo artist and grow her craft as a songwriter and performer. Within months, she released her first solo EP to widespread critical acclaim and landed on many Best Of year ends lists from Rolling Stone to Garden & Gun, quickly launching her already budding career and sending it into hyperdrive.
Over the next year, Morrow filmed an episode for PBS’ Bluegrass Underground and toured the US playing festivals such as Pickathon and Bristol Rhythm & Roots to name a few. Morrow recently wrapped recording her first solo, full-length album at the legendary Nashville studio, Sound Emporium. Mixed by Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Phish) and Jaquire King (Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, Shania Twain) set to release in 2023, Morrow’s new album, People Talk, showcases her flawless vocals and intricate songwriting, but also her willingness to take risks — an edge that makes her stand out from the Nashville norm. Whether she’s singing an alternative/indie rock banger, a classic-country crooner, or a traditional lovesick ballad, there’s a unique impression she leaves that lingers and is unlike anything you’ve heard before.
Lauren Morrow is headed to The Southgate House Revival on Wednesday, June 7th with Joshua Hedley! We were over the moon to chat with her prior to the upcoming show!
What prompted the decision to go solo?
My husband Jason and I had an alternative-bluegrass band called The Whiskey Gentry for over a decade, and we knew that our arch was coming to an end in the latter years. I wanted to go a different direction sonically, and we also made the decision to move to Nashville, so I think all of those things combined made us want to rebrand and try something different.
I admire how you are not sticking to one genre and taking risks. Was this a cognitive thought to spread your wings with genres?
Yes, I think it was. My voice lends itself to being country, and I felt pigeonholed within that genre, when in fact, a lot of my big influences range from 90s alternative to New Wave to BritPop. I'd known for a few years that I wanted to explore what I could write outside of a country/bluegrass genre and also see how I could push myself vocally outside of that prior comfort zone.
What can one expect when seeing Lauren Morrow live?
I love touring and playing live, and I love connecting with an audience. I tend to tell a lot of stories, but I also (without trying to brag) have a really killer band, so we try to make the show as intimate and entertaining as possible and bring a lot of the elements from the recorded album to the stage.
What is next for Lauren Morrow?
We'll be touring this summer throughout the US, and we plan to hit the West Coast late summer/early fall. A lot of this year and next will be devoted to hitting the road and promoting the record we've worked so hard on for so long. I'd love to write some this winter and see if we can record the next record in 2024!
