Morgan Clark’s voice compels people to listen; within her lyrics and talent live the excitement, hope, and idealism of young musicians following their hearts to Nashville, country music’s capital of the world.  When I hear Morgan sing–whether an original song written for a friend who died sadly too soon or a cover title, I want to cheer for her in person, and you should too– she is just THAT good!   Morgan is undoubtedly beautiful, but she is also an incredibly talented songwriter: smart, driven, compassionate, and a super fast ski racer.  Morgan may have been born and raised in a small town, but she was born to take those strong, hardworking roots on the road with her all the way to Nashville.

Just as we followed her days as a ski racer, I now follow her journey to Nashville on social media and listen to her “Mondays with Morgan” performances religiously because she raises my own spirit through her artistry.  Her humility and appreciation for growing up here in the North Country are only part of what makes her voice one truly worth knowing.  She shared that the best part of now living in Nashville is, “Being around music constantly, meeting new people, making connections that are life changing, and taking me further and further along my musical journey. I love most that Nashville is a city but in a small town sense–everybody knows everybody! And with that I can relate to my hometown a lot more by feeling that closeness.”

The worst part of living in Nashville according to Morgan is that there is endless competition and no easy way to make it.  “I’m learning quickly that living here is all about finding the right connections, working hard every day and believing in myself. I think this can be a teaching moment as well. In high school we used to set goals, which I never believed in and didn’t have any to set, honestly, my most undesirable part of English class. Now, I set goals everyday for myself and I wish I had been able to recognize the importance of goal setting back in high school.  The best part of setting goals is if they cannot be met, you don’t give up; you just replace them with another goal and try a different route. Maybe that one wasn’t for you. It is very important to never give up and always believe in yourself. I believe in myself more and more each day.”

We also joked about how terrible traffic is in Nashville because 80 people of Morgan’s generation are moving to Nashville every day doing what she is doing in following their own dreams.   She credits growing up within her family and these White Mountains as “the best part of my life.”  She shares, “I miss them so much. But living in them with the people I knew my whole life gave me the greater confidence to find myself somewhere else. This background also sets me apart from everyone else who is pursuing music. I have many different morals that I stand by having been taught throughout my life by some of the most impactful people whom I still look up to to this day. I’m so grateful for living in a small mountainous town for so long;  this childhood gave me the mindset for appreciation and opportunity.”  She understands that sometimes to follow one’s dreams, we need to leave home for unchartered territories, leaving our maps, comfort zones, and family behind.

Which incidentally is a little like the country song I’ve been writing.   I better finish it before she become super famous too quickly and doesn’t have time to help a novice songwriter with a special lyric or two.  Crazy how that happens.  She is putting herself out there every day, failing and succeeding and building upon her strengths in Nashville.  Her perseverance, talent, and sense of her own history provide the foundation for a sensational song writer.  Morgan sets goals and goes after them;  she may have turned in her GS suit for sound studios, microphones, and lovely dresses– but the desire to make a name for herself remains just as strong.  The race gates of  her childhood have become the challenges of her future, one I’m sure she will knock down one at a time for as long as it takes.  We here in Lincoln Woodstock, NH are proud of you, Morgan Clark, and it’s just a matter of time before the rest of the world knows that too!!

Hah- did not know I could actually embed a video here from Morgan’s Youtube channel, but look at that– just did it!  This is a favorite song of mine, and she honored her own mom, Elise Johnian Clark, with this incredible version last Mother’s Day.  Thank you Morgan for inspiring those around you– keep the music coming, friend!

To follow Morgan, check out http://www.iammorganclark.com and you can also check her out on Facebook.com/morganclarkmusic and instagram.com/mmclark.