By Ashley Lucas
Living in Roanoke, we’re all #blessed to be surrounded by a myriad of incredible musical talent. From bluegrass to metal, to Americana to reggae, there’s a little something for just about everyone. One such talent comes from a young lady from Floyd, VA. Her name is Morgan Wade and I’ve been following her for a few years now. I remember listening to her music for the first time and thinking that she’s got that “something” that all writers, singers, and artists hope for: She sounds exactly like who she is. There’s no misrepresentation; her songs are the truest form of her pure self. I like that honesty in a songwriter. Being brave enough to put oneself out there is half the battle of writing relatable songs.
As a songwriter, Morgan has a constant stream of lyrics flowing through her brain, but she admits to never writing them down on paper. One particular song, “Let Me Rest”, is a southern rock anthem that welcomes the listener into Morgan’s world. It’s a toe-tapping, yet painful recollection of heartbreak, mistakes, and twisted intentions. Recorded at Summit Sounds by Jake Dempsey, the production quality perfectly blends Morgan’s impressive vocals with clean guitar riffs and a healthy dose of bass. Listen to “Let Me Rest” and read Morgan’s story behind the song:
“I come from a very small town, Floyd County. Basically anything you do, it gets around. I just remember being in a difficult time in my life. I had just moved out of my parents’ house, got my own place, and was a full time student in college. I had also been dealing with a breakup. I remember driving down the road and thinking if I left right now, I could be in Atlanta tonight. I could just forget everything. Obviously I couldn’t leave. I began to think about how leaving the state of VA would not solve my problems. I remember coming up with the first verse in my head as I never write a song down. But that was it; I just kind of left it at that.”
“A couple months later I just sat down, and the other two verses came together. The second verse really focuses on a trip to Tennessee I took years ago. I went to a bar, using my friends ID, had more drinks than I can remember, most of it being moonshine (I will not touch moonshine to this day). Feeling pretty good, I asked a guy to play his guitar during his set break; I won the crowd over, until the man got mad and made me leave. The bar had karaoke later that night, but I decided instead of singing someone else’s song, I decided to play and sing my own. After that, I remember my boyfriend grabbing me from the stage, and taking me to eat and “sober up.” I went to the bathroom, and the next thing I know I woke up laying on the floor, with my boyfriend yelling at me to get up. I then remember looking in the sink and well, that’s where ‘I threw up in the sink came from.’ I woke up the next day in a hotel bed with a pizza, and a name tag saying “Hello my name is Sassy.” That weekend is pretty infamous in my book of stories.”
“Last but not least, the 3rd verse dives into a time spent with an ex in Carolina. I just remember fighting over everything and crying the whole way home. It was not long after that we called it quits. The bottom line of the song is, no matter where I go, I have memories, whether they are good, or bad. I just reminisced, realizing I couldn’t run away from my mistakes, or my well, stupidity.”
Morgan Wade is the lead singer for Roanoke band, Morgan Wade & The Stepbrothers.
Singer / Songwriter Morgan Wade