Whitey Morgan & The 78's

Country music fans, perhaps more than listeners of other genres, tend to suffer from a deep-seated sentimentality disorder. Regardless of their generation, they yearn for the "good old days" when they believe country music was more authentic and true to its roots. These fans want nothing to do with the modern offshoots and hybrids of the genre - the dreaded "pop-country" or "bro-country" sounds that have crept into the mainstream. If it doesn't have the unmistakable flavor of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, or some other iconic outlaw legend, then as far as they're concerned, it simply doesn't qualify as the real deal.

This is an understandable position to hold when examining the output of many of today's top-charting country acts, like Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean. However, if these nostalgic fans were to look a little closer, they would find a wealth of incredibly talented artists who are making the kind of music that Cash, Haggard, and their fellow outlaws would likely be proud to call their own kin.

This is the realm where the music of Whitey Morgan resides - somewhere in the contemporary outlaw country terrain between the sonic landscapes of Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson. Born Eric Allen, the country singer-songwriter adopted the "Whitey Morgan" moniker a decade ago when he decided it was time to bring something fresh and attention-grabbing to the local honky-tonk circuit. The hard-scrabble lives of the unemployed factory workers who were his neighbors in Flint, Michigan provided Morgan with ample real-world inspiration to draw from in his songwriting.

Morgan understood that you didn't have to hail from the country music hotbeds of Texas or Tennessee in order to craft authentic, working-class country songs. After all, the struggles of the common man were just as prevalent in the industrial heartland of Michigan as they were down South. To support a couple of well-received indie and local label releases, including 2008's Honky Tonks and Cheap Motels, Morgan and his band hit the road hard, playing up to 200 shows per year. This tireless touring schedule paid dividends in 2010 when the respected Bloodshot Records label signed Whitey Morgan and the 78's, an album recorded at the legendary Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York. This

release continued to earn Morgan widespread accolades from both fans and critics alike.

Though the core lyrical themes of Morgan's songs - whiskey, women, and wandering - remain largely unchanged, his solid touring pedigree and his most recent offering, Sonic Ranch, should serve to silence any lingering doubts that this is merely a retro tribute act. With Morgan's powerful baritone leading the charge, the band cranks up the Telecasters and gets the job done with conviction. Where Sturgill Simpson might be considered the "thinking man's outlaw," Morgan is very much the "working man's" version. There's no talk here of "Jesus playing with flames in a lake of fire" - instead of fanciful, metaphysical musings, Morgan simply tells it like it is. As he sings in the album opener "Me and the Whiskey," "I gave up on running 'round. She gave up on me. I gave up on the cocaine. Now it's just me and the whiskey."

These boys aren't hell-bent on mindlessly reliving some bygone era of country music glory. Rather, they are forging their own path and carving out their own piece of the modern outlaw country landscape. Like Waylon and Willie, Stapleton and Simpson before them, Whitey Morgan and the 78's are the real deal - no gimmicks, no pretense, just honest, hard-edged country music made by and for the common folk.

In the years since the release of Sonic Ranch in 2015, Whitey Morgan has continued to cement his reputation as one of the leading voices in the contemporary outlaw country movement. In 2019, he released his fifth studio album, titled Hard Times and White Lines, which further solidified his gritty, no-nonsense approach to country songwriting. The album garnered widespread critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone praising Morgan's "whiskey-soaked baritone" and his ability to craft "blue-collar country anthems." Building on the momentum of Hard Times and White Lines, Morgan embarked on an extensive tour schedule, playing over 150 dates per year and earning a reputation as a must-see live performer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many artists were forced off the road, Morgan remained active, releasing a series of livestream performances and fan-engagement initiatives to keep his loyal following engaged. In 2021, he announced the launch of his own record label, Whitey Morgan Records, signaling his determination to maintain creative control and continue forging his own path in the country music landscape. With a new album reportedly in the works, fans of authentic, working-class country can rest assured that Whitey Morgan and

the 78's will be delivering the goods for years to come.

In the spring of 2023, Whitey Morgan embarked on his most extensive tour to date, kicking off a 40-date North American trek in support of his forthcoming album. Dubbed the "Blue Collar Troubadour Tour," the run of shows was seen bringing their signature brand of uncompromising outlaw country to eager audiences from coast to coast. Performing a mix of fan favorites from his formidable back catalog, as well as a preview of new songs, Morgan captivates crowds with his gritty vocal delivery and the band's hard-driving, honky-tonk sound. That tour has seen Morgan at the peak of his powers, channeling the spirits of country music's greatest outlaws while making the sound truly his own. With the new album on the horizon, this latest tour has only whetted the appetite of Whitey Morgan's loyal fanbase, who are eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to experience the raw energy and authenticity that has become the hallmark of this Michigan-bred country outlaw.

It's been some six years since he released his last album Hard Times and White Lines (2018) with his band The 78's. Whitey will be the first to tell you he's not the most prolific songwriter or recording artist. But when he does make time from his tireless touring schedule, perfecting his barbecue recipes, or being a father to record, he takes the business seriously.   Whitey's let it be known that he's been in the studio with Shooter Jennings, and now finally the fruits of those labors are beginning to be revealed. Such as "Let Me Roll" which chronicles Whitey's road dog mentality that has been a calling card of his career.   

Whitey, Ryman January 2025

Before the release, Whitey had warned fans that he was looking to expand his sound a little bit. "I can only do so many Drop 'D' fu–king half time songs," he said. But don't you worry, "Let Me Roll" is exactly what you want from Whitey Morgan and the 78's, and hopefully there's more where it came from.   

Whitey played the Ryman Auditorium on January 18th, 2025 debuting new & old classics. Welcome back Whitey Morgan.

Zeuses Muses

Anna Manis

January 2025