Craig Morgan
From Toasted Rav
Craig Morgan (born Craig Morgan Greer, July 17, 1965 in Kingston Springs, Tennessee) is an American country music artist. A veteran of the United States Army, Morgan began his musical career in late 1999 on Atlantic Records, recording one album (2000's Craig Morgan) for that label before the closure of its Nashville division in 2000.
Three years later, he signed to the independent Broken Bow Records, where he broke through in 2003 with "Almost Home," his first Top Ten hit on the country music charts and the first single from his 2003 album I Love It. He followed up I Love It in 2005 with My Kind of Livin'. His highest-selling album to date, it has been certified gold in the United States. It includes the single "That's What I Love About Sunday," which spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and was named as the top country single of 2005 by Billboard. My Kind of Livin’ also produced the #2 hit "Redneck Yacht Club." Little Bit of Life, his third album for Broken Bow and fourth overall, was released in late 2006. It produced three additional singles, including Top Ten hits with the title track and "International Harvester." Morgan's last release for the label was a Greatest Hits album.
In March 2008, Morgan left Broken Bow for BNA Records, a division of Sony BMG Nashville. His fifth studio album, That's Why, was released in October of that year, and it has produced a Top 10 country hit in "Love Remembers."
Craig Morgan Greer was born in Kingston Springs, Tennessee and grew up in rural Tennessee. He became an Emergency medical technician at age 18. A few years later, he joined the Army and was stationed in South Korea. He was in combat as part of Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989. While stationed in Korea, Morgan wrote a number of songs and won various military singing and songwriting contests.
Morgan spent ten years on active duty as a Fire Support Specialist in the United States Army, serving in the 101st and 82d Airborne Divisions before launching his music career. He holds Airborne, Jumpmaster, and Air Assault qualifications.[1]
In addition to his Opry appearances and regular touring schedule, Morgan frequently performs at military bases both in the U.S. and abroad. He was awarded the 2006 USO Merit Award for his tireless support of US soldiers and their families.[2] Morgan has been active in raising money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. [1]
Upon his return home to Tennessee, he worked various jobs to support his family, including as a construction worker, a security guard and a sheriff's deputy. He would later land a job in Nashville singing demos for other songwriters and publishing companies.
The demos led to releasing his first album with Atlantic Records, the self-titled Craig Morgan in 2000. In 2003, Morgan signed with Broken Bow Records and released his second album, I Love It. It featured his first Top Ten hit, "Almost Home."
In 2005, Morgan released his third album, My Kind of Livin', which included the hit "That's What I Love About Sunday." A four-week number-one hit in the early spring of 2005, it was the biggest country music song of that year according to Billboard. The album also produced two more singles: "Redneck Yacht Club" and "I Got You"; the former of which topped the Radio & Records (now known as Mediabase 24/7) country singles charts, although it peaked at #2 on Billboard. Morgan had originally intended to offer the latter song to Keith Urban, but decided to record it himself instead; his version was a Top 20 hit on the country charts.
Morgan's third album for Broken Bow, and his fourth overall, is titled Little Bit of Life. Its title track was a Top Ten hit on the country music charts in late 2006-early 2007, while "Tough," its followup, peaked at #11. "International Harvester," the third single, was released in late 2007 and reached the Top Ten in 2008.
In February 2008, Morgan announced his departure from Broken Bow[5] and subsequently signed with BNA Records, a division of Sony BMG Nashville.[6] His first album for the label, That's Why, was released in October 2008, and its lead-off single, "Love Remembers," reached Top 10 on the country charts.
On September 18, 2008, Morgan was invited by John Conlee to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.[3] Morgan was formally inducted as Opry member by Conlee at the Grand Ole Opry House during the October 25, 2008 edition of the Opry.[4]
