Grace Morrison is a proud daughter of Cape Code, brandishing music that she refers to as Saltwater Country. She also marches to her own drum: a pianist, accordion player, Renaissance Faire performer, cranberry grower, reader of historical nonfiction, coffee devotee (she sells her own coffee blend), and an unapologetic expert on all things New England. And somehow, all these quirks weave seamlessly into the fabric of her music, making her one of the most unique and endearing songwriters around. With her upcoming album Saltwater Country, Morrison weaves together New England folk and Southern twang into something wholly her own.
Does your album have an overarching theme?
It does! This is the first time I’ve written an album with an overarching theme, what a fun way to write. It gave me direction where in the past I would sit in front of a notebook with no idea where to go. I’d been struggling with identifying my genre because my writing can get really poppy, and country, and then get super folky and suddenly I’m writing a Celtic tune. So with this album, I really wanted to dig into what makes me me. So much of the answer I found in my hometown. I started exploring various aspects of what it meant to grow up in my little almost-Cape Cod town.
I wrote about people I’ve known my whole life, my family, local ghost stories, the inherent poverty, and all of the things that make up a summer tourist destination town.
Some people refer to my hometown as poor man’s Cape Cod. It’s the town right before the Cape Cod bridges so everybody who’s been to the Cape has driven through. Lots of people overlook us because we’re not “proper” Cape Cod. But we have all the Cape-y things!
We get a huge influx of people at the end of May, and then after Labor Day they all leave and it’s a bit of a vacuum. As I began writing, I realized this reminded me of me! I come alive when I’m performing to a roomful of people, but then the show is over and there’s that vacuum feeling (I haven’t found another way to describe it)….and I wanted to really dig into what is left behind.
So I was writing about my town…..but in doing so I was kind of discovering myself. This is an album about loving oneself and becoming one’s best self and accepting that this comes with flaws. And that maybe those “flaws” are the most important part. Perhaps those perceived flaws are what makes us us.
Tell us about your favorite show you’ve ever played.
The last full band show I played. It was my album launch show. I so rarely get to play with a full band, but I had my favorite musicians performing with me to a sold out crowd who knew my lyrics. I mean….it does not get better than that. I felt strong and alive and the best version of myself and the whole thing lives on Youtube if people wanna see some highlights!
What’s the first concert you ever attended? What do you remember
about it?
The first concert I attended was Tori Amos/Alanis Morrisette 5 ½ Weeks tour. I remember sitting in the audience completely mesmerized and thinking “someday I’m going to play music with those people.” I was 12 and had just picked up the guitar and started writing songs. Jon Evans was playing bass on that tour. Now I don’t know if manifesting is real, but Jon Evans produced this album. So it might be real or I might be magic.
What 5 albums are you going to make your kid listen to and why?
This feels like a loaded question. I cannot *make* my 6 year old listen to very much haha! Before they were born, I had intended to ensure my child was well versed in all the important stuff. You know, Beatles, Elton John, Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”. However, parenting is not what I thought it would be :-p.
I’ve been learning to capitalize on the moments. For example, he heard the Beatles’ “Blackbird” in a store and he loved it and it brought him to tears. So because it was *his idea* we started listening to Abbey Road every night.
He is zero percent interested in listening to my music, but he IS interested in listening to the compositions my producer Jon and drummer Matthias have written for video games (The Binding of Isaac and Super Meat Boy Forever). I get some cool points with him because I know them.
To my child, it is second nature to make up songs about anything which feels like a big win. So anytime I can think of a song that relates to something he’s interested in, we listen to that. Maybe someday he will accept my suggested listening list which most definitely includes some John Prine. Is there a professional “bucket list” item you would love to check off?
Have you ever been given something remarkable by a fan?
One of the fans I know the best is Carol McFadden. We met at Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA. Carol, I just love her so much. She brings lemonade to my stage at Musikfest every year, and a little change purse so my child can buy candy. She was one of the first people to love my song “Beer in a Teacup”.
Imagine my surprise when I went to the post office and found a package from Carol. She sent me her wedding teacups. With a note making sure I knew her daughter was ok with this. I was so moved. I mean….it’s her wedding china. I treasure those teacups. There are times when I get a little defeated and then I’ll go check the mail and find a letter from Carol telling me how much my songs mean to her. God I love her!