6 secrets about singer-songwriter Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen is the new voice of country music. Born in Sneedville, Tennessee, he has been making waves in the industry since his debut single “The Way I Talk” hit airwaves in 2016. While most country singers start their careers as small town boys with big dreams and come from musical backgrounds, Wallen’s story is quite different.

Wallen was a member of several groups before striking out on his own and taking flight with his solo career. He gained national attention when he appeared on NBC’s The Voice during its sixth season in 2014. He finished seventh overall but made an impression that would last long after the show ended.

After appearing on The Voice, Wallen signed to Big Loud Records and released his debut album If I Know Me in 2018. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and was certified Gold in 2019, with Wallen becoming one of the genre’s fastest rising stars.

Wallen has now become a household name in country music, but here are six secrets about him that you may not know:

1. Wallen grew up with dreams of playing football, not singing country music. He even attended the University of Tennessee for two years to pursue his dream before making the switch to music full-time.

2. His first real break came from writing songs for other artists including Florida Georgia Line’s “Up Down” and Jason Aldean’s “You Make It Easy.”

3. His stage name was originally “Morgan Wallin,” but he changed it to “Wallen” because his grandmother thought it sounded better.

4. He has a tattoo of the state of Tennessee on his forearm as a tribute to his home state and an anchor behind his ear in memory of his late grandfather, an avid sailor.

5. Wallen is one of only two artists ever to have three consecutive No. 1 singles from the same album on the Billboard Country Airplay chart; Luke Bryan is the other artist who accomplished this feat with Crash My Party in 2013–2014.

6. His songwriting chops were showcased when he co-wrote four of the 13 tracks on his debut album If I Know Me.

These six secrets help shed light on the man behind the music and show just how talented Morgan Wallen is. He may have come from humble beginnings, but he has certainly achieved great things in a short amount of time and is sure to become one of country music’s top superstars in the years to come.