Debbie Does Music: 2010 Indie Music Award Winner Nathan Morris!

Independent musicians have a hard gig! They write, play, sing, market and promote their music all themselves. It’s inspiringly hard work, and when it’s successful, it brings a tear to my eye! Nathan Morris is successful!

Nathan Morris was awarded the 2010 INDIE CHARTS MUSIC AWARD! Nathan has received this award for maintaining the #1 spot on www.IndieCharts.com for over 6 months!

Exciting stuff for a 25 year old from Kentucky. Let’s see what happens when we exchanged Q & A’s over the interwebs this week:

DDM: Congrats on your win on the 2010 Indie Charts Award. This is a big accomplishment for an indie musician! How do you feel about it?

Thank you so much for that! It truly is an amazing accomplishment. I remember getting the call from my manager about winning the award. I was at a cookout with some friends. We all had a moment to celebrate and it was so cool to share it with them and Jody. I’m thrilled, to say the least. We’ve been really working hard over the past few years, releasing music, meeting people, learning new things. It’s refreshing to see something like this happen, you know? The award has most certainly given me a little more of a push to up my game with writing and recording. All that to say, I’m honored, excited and proud of everyone on my team that works hard day in and day out to make sure all the pieces are in place for me.

DDM: What keeps you indie? Do you WANT to be indie? Why?

Being an independent artist allows for the ball to stay in your court. I am the owner of a company in a sense, and decisions need to be made every day in order to continue to move forward. I have a group of people that are always on the same page with me with decision making. Being indie allows for me and my team to have the control necessary to continue to move in the direction we have always intended.

DDM: Had you ever considered any of the competitions (American Idol, America’s Got Talent, etc) or is there something about those that you don’t like/don’t want to be a part of?

I actually had purchased a plane ticket to Kansas City, MO a few years ago to try out for American Idol, but didn’t end up going. I think it’s a pretty cool competition, but I just feel that right now, it’s not for me. It’s launched a lot of successful careers though.

DDM: It looks like you started producing albums at the tender age of 18…so tell us about where you learned to sing/write? Schooling/etc…

I learned to sing when I was about 8 years old. I initially loved the idea of entertaining people, but soon in to vocal lessons I developed a large passion for it. I would always write in my teens. I’d write stories and fill pages of notebooks in my room. When I met my dear friends Brent and Justin, who were fellow songwriters, they taught me about structuring and it’s purpose and how to guide a listener through the song. I always hope that my songs stay true and I always continue to personally progress in my efforts as a songwriter.

DDM: So…Owensboro, KY…a suburb (or what we like to call an “exurb”)? of…I’m not sure…St Louis? What is the biggest city near Owensboro?

Owensboro, KY is an hour and a half away from Louisville, KY, two hours from Lexington and two hours from Nashville, TN. It’s a great hub for me to be in. I can be in any of those cities in such a short period of time. Owensboro just feels good. It’s where my family is. It’s where my dearest friends are. It’s home!

DDM: Let’s talk about fashion! How have you been inspired by fashion? Buckaroo jeans is your exclusive outfitter? Tell us about that relationship…do you design too?

Fashion inspires me when what I’m wearing feels good. If I personally think I look great, then I tend to write, perform and so forth. There’s just something about that additional bit of confidence that brings your best out. Buckaroo was and has been a great relationship. My manager, a friend and myself were out in LA, walking down Sunset Blvd. and simply happened to stumble upon this nice store. I had never heard the name Buckaroo before, but upon entering, I saw all these really cool jeans and jackets that I really liked. They had a very unique look about them and it wasn’t something you saw every day. We spent a good 2 hours in there shopping. My manager got in contact with Buckaroo and the rest is really history.

DDM: I’ve been reading your blog. You are very introspective, especially for a young guy. Is it your introspect that makes you a great songwriter, or your love for songwriting that makes you and introspect (sort of like the “chicken or the egg” theory I suppose.

I really appreciate the compliment, thank you. I think with songwriting, it’s about living. And the life that you live creates memories and stories that you share with people. Some tell them at a cook out or family get together. I write mine down and share them with everyone. It’s about being honest. It’s about not questioning yourself or your feelings and hopes and desires. The life I have lived is throughout each song I’ve written. There’s a lesson learned in each track too. It’s cool to kind of go back and hear something you wrote a while back and remember what was going on and how you dealt with and got through the situation. That’s a big hope of mine for the listener. I want them to be able to relate in a special way, that every time they hear that particular song of mine, they’re taken back to a particular moment.

DDM: What’s next for you?

-I guess what’s next is taking what I’ve recently learned about myself and my music and just going full speed with it. I will continue to record songs that I believe whole-heartedly in and releasing them to the people who continue to show their full support, all while hopefully gaining the attention and appreciation of new fans.

DDM: The new song is out now! Tell us about “A Minute More” Inspiration?

“A Minute More” was written in the basement of a friend’s house. My friend Brent was getting married that week and we were reflecting on our lives and the fact that in a week, he was going to be sharing his with the woman he loved forever; how she was going to walk in to their home for the first time and how amazing and beautiful it was. We wrote the song in about 10 minutes. I feel that the best songs in my catalogue are ones that came together quickly. It’s an extremely honest song. I am such a romantic. If you want to know me on a personal level, away from the music and videos and photos, this is the song. I believe in fighting for the one you love. I think about my future wife all the time and all the fun things we’ll do together, as well as all the trials we will face together. It’s a song reflecting on my past, but realizing the promise of that day when I meet her. I want people, when they hear it, to know they’re worth the wait and important.

DDM: The video is coming out next week. How exciting! How was it making your video? Any good stories with the process you can share?

Shooting the video was such an amazing experience. We went with Neil McCormack, who I have worked with previously on another music video. He just has a great eye and ability to make me feel comfortable. So many people came together and worked so hard to make the video look the way it does. It couldn’t have gone any better really. A big shout out to all of them.

We shot the video over a 2 day period. At one point, some of the crew were lifting a heavy upright piano out of a truck for one of the shots and I felt so bad just sitting and watching, but they didn’t want me helping. Also, the last few shots with me at the piano, I was falling asleep in between takes. I never knew I could fall asleep sitting up.

Nathan’s latest single has been released and is available on I-Tunes. The video will be out in about a minute more (or next week) …we are anxiously awaiting it! Check out “A Minute More” and tell us what you think!

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/