HostJolene: So there’s not really ONE big favorite?
Craig Morgan:: That I’ve written, I can’t say that I have one big favorite. If I HAD to pick one, if I was forced to pick one, I’d say “Almost Home” just based on the fact that it did what it did for me.
HostJolene: Do you have a favorite song that you haven’t written?
Craig Morgan:: Again, I’m not a favorite song kind of guy. And I know that’s not fair to y’all…
HostJolene: No, no, that’s fine.
Craig Morgan:: And I hear it all the time, “What’s your favorite song” and I don’t really have a favorite. I mean the reality is that I just cut 11 songs on my last album. Those are my 11 favorite songs out of the thousands of songs that we wrote and listened to.
HostJolene: So you literally listen to thousands of songs when going through material for your albums?
Craig Morgan:: Yes, literally thousands.
HostJolene: and what makes you say “This is a song I want to record”?
Craig Morgan:: I have no idea. It’s just something that I dig in the song. It speaks to me personally and I think it will speak to the majority of the listeners. It’s something that I think is relatable. I like it and it makes me feel good. And if I think everybody else will like it, that’s wonderful.
HostJolene: Is there anything that is hard for you about being a star now that you are solidly established?
Craig Morgan:: Not being home and not being as personal, even with people that I’ve known because I don’t have the time anymore. That’s the problem. People at the record label you know, two years ago, I could hang out in the office because we weren’t as busy. I had more time for my friends. I don’t care what anybody says, you get so busy that you don’t have time for any of that stuff. It’s tough. That’s the hard part. So you convince your friends to come out on the road with you, just so you can visit with them. Like today is considered a day off for me. This week is a week off for me. We’re not touring, so everyone thinks you’re at home when you’re off. But the reality is, I won’t get home until midnight tonight. Or if I do leave early, I might be home by 7:30 or 8:00.
HostJolene: How do your wife and kids handle your schedule?
Craig Morgan:: When I am home, we try to make the best of it.
HostJolene: What do you do? What kinds of things do you do when you’re off?
Craig Morgan:: We all ride motorcycles. I race dirt bikes with my 14 year old and my 8 year old. Yesterday when they got home from school, we all went bike riding. We have a track at the house. My 8, my 9 and my 14 year old and myself all rode motorcycles. It was great!
HostJolene: Do you guys do family things like movies or going out to eat? Things like that? Do you enjoy that anymore?
Craig Morgan:: Once in awhile. I have a daughter that just turned 17, and I’m sitting there this morning and she’d written out her weekend schedule. And I’m reading it with my wife and she’s gone all weekend. And I’m really not home, so it doesn’t matter but for my wife, she’s like well, that’s the reality of our world. Remember when you were 17, you didn’t want to stay home. So that’s kind of tough to deal with.
HostJolene: I know you listen to a lot of music while working on your albums. Do you ever listen to music just to listen? Who do you like to listen to for pleasure?
Craig Morgan:: I like people like CeCe Winans. I don’t veer far from country but when I do it’s something like that. I like to listen to my friends who write songs and also sing like Jeffery Steele and Anthony Smith. Lee Ann Womack is in my CD player right now. Jason Aldean is in my dang tape player, but I will say that is my daughter who put it in there. But I listened to it this morning, I listened to the whole album for the first time and I was really impressed. He’s on our label. He’s a great guy. I don’t get the chance to listen to a lot of music for pleasure, believe it or not, because I’m busy.
HostJolene: Yeah, again, something people don’t think about.
Craig Morgan:: When I do listen, I try and stay away from the stuff that is going to be close to what I’m doing. And like CeCe Winans and I’ve been been listening to a lot of Christian Pop. And my son, he listens to the real hard core motor cross rock and roll stuff. I hear a lot of that. I’m not sure what they say, but I hear a lot of it.
HostJolene: What would you like to say to the fans that are reading and listening to this interview?
Craig Morgan:: It’s simple. Thanks. We could not do this without the fan’s support. I mean, we could, but it would be boring and we’d be broke. So truly, none of us in this industry, and I’m saddened that some of us in the industry do forget that sometimes, the fans truly are to be thanked for their support. I’m grateful to be here.