Song Review – William Michael Morgan’s “Missing”
You know what folks, I think we should just go ahead and give up on ol’ William Michael Morgan right now before we get our hearts broke like we’ve had done dozens of times when a new mainstream artist shows a little promise. Invariably after their first taste of success, these guys end up selling out so hard and quick it’ll give you country music whiplash. Seriously, how good will Warner Bros. Nashville truly allow his debut album to be? And you know, Sam Hunt did co-write “I Met A Girl.”
Wait, what? He just released a new song?
Hell I thought that George Strait had retired. Maybe a new day is dawning in country, because listening to William Michael Morgan’s “Missing” immediately gets you swaying, singing along, and settling into a good mood whether you can go missing yourself, or you’re stuck at work or in traffic and wish you could.
Not sure if this will ultimately be a single, but if I was William Michael Morgan, I couldn’t wait to get “Missing” out to the masses either. It’s not that it’s some world beater of a song as much as it taps right into that genuine country music goodness almost immediately, and gives you a sense that everything’s right in the country world. Florida Georgia Line just released an album? Who cares, I’ll listen to this on repeat while I salivate for Morgan’s long player coming on September 30th.
Fiddle, steel guitar, a genuine country voice, it’s all here. And for the folks that say that not all music needs to be dark and deep to be good, touche. A song like this is perfect for easing back to on a Saturday out by the lake, but not making you feel stupid for doing so. It’s just good, and the lyrics work like all those great classic country songs do.
Songwriters Mark Irwin, Andrew Dorff and Josh Kear just keep it simple, and keep it country, take a good premise, don’t load it up with buzzwords, and let the song breathe. Songwriters love to write songs like this and see them get cut, and singers love to sing them. It’s just rare anybody every gets a chance to. But things are continuing to open up for artists like William Michael Morgan. With the success of Chris Stapleton, Jon Pardi and others, all of a sudden there’s an avenue for music like “Missing.” Morgan’s “I Met a Girl” just went Top 10, and who knows where it will end up once his album is ready to come out.
Good song.
1 3/4 Guns Up (8/10)
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September 2, 2016 @ 8:37 am
Did I fall into a time loop and wake up in the 90s when country was still country?
September 2, 2016 @ 10:51 am
I am genuinely weary that this is a temporal anomaly that will disrupt the time-space continuum and obliterate the universe as we know it.
September 2, 2016 @ 1:55 pm
Did we just land in the Twilight Zone?
September 2, 2016 @ 8:37 am
I really, really like this song. I also like “I Met a Girl”, but the songs from his EP leave a little to be desired. I’m hopeful though!
Have you heard Sam Hunt’s version of IMAG? Yeesh. It is so bad. It really speaks to what a good ear Morgan and/or the producers have to hear a good song through that.
September 2, 2016 @ 9:00 am
Just went and listened to Sam Hunt’s version out of curiosity and I guess because I’m a glutton for self-punishment. Wow. That’s rough. Good point, well done to hear a good song through that
May 23, 2017 @ 8:02 pm
Just listened to it. WWM is way better I want to smash my earbuds after listening to Sam Hunt’s Version
September 2, 2016 @ 8:53 am
That’s the way you do it.
September 2, 2016 @ 9:03 am
‘Songwriters Mark Irwin, Andrew Dorff and Josh Kear just keep it simple, and keep it country, take a good premise, don’t load it up with buzzwords, and let the song breathe. Songwriters love to write songs like this and see them get cut, and singers love to sing them. It’s just rare anybody every gets a chance to.’
Trigger you are so dead on with these observations ..DEAD ON ! Let the song BREATHE . A timeless lyric , a timeless sentiment ANY age can relate to and totally traditional instrumentation
This is exactly where Easton Corbin and Houser were heading when cut them off at the pass and forced them to ” sing different shit or we shoot your dog ” . Listen to that giant campfire-strummin’ acoustic guitar and those harmony stacks . And not only is this a great listening tune but damn …folks could actually DANCE to it . ( Remember dancing ?..that’s when two people -TWO PEOPLE – move around the floor in sync …. NOT what those 15 year old female’ plants ‘ are doing when
Aldean ” Burns It Down ” in cut time . That’s called WRIGGLING .)
September 2, 2016 @ 9:07 am
WMM is very good, and he has major label backing at radio. IMG is looking set to get into the top 5, and has a decent shot at getting to #1. That’ll make two honest to goodness country songs this summer (with John Pardi), from newer players to the country scene, to have success at radio. This makes me very happy. Here’s hoping that the WMM’s new album sees strong sales & he gets good tour numbers, so that the major labels start swinging more towards these types of artists and productions.
September 2, 2016 @ 9:32 am
Dang, that was good! 😀 A real toe-tapper, and it really does sound like something George Strait could’ve had a hit with back in the day.
September 2, 2016 @ 9:37 am
The only problem with this true country track is it doesn’t fit it with garbage radio plays. Hope radio will embrace but miracles no longer happen.
September 2, 2016 @ 9:40 am
At the moment, they haven’t said it’s going to be released as a single, even though they could be positioning it for this by releasing it early. But I wouldn’t count it out if they do. If “I Met A Girl” can go Top 10 (or Top 5 and #1), then why couldn’t this?
September 2, 2016 @ 10:12 am
I can honestly say “I met a girl” is not my favorite, but it is a step in the right direction for country music. I agree 100% with Kyle and the rest of ya’ll, this is spot on. I got a chance to meet WMM through a mutal friend at last year’s CMA fest over at Loser’s Bar and Grill. We then got to watch his part of the showcase there that evening. He was the real deal in my eyes. I didn’t put too much hope in him though, radio last year was just coming out of their “just got bitch slapped” daze with Chris Stapleton’s rise, so this guy was not yet on their radar. But he is now.
I know you said it recently Kyle and it’s pretty funny, FGL trying to act relevant with their new album. It’s pretty amusing.
September 2, 2016 @ 10:17 am
This is such a great song, I felt like I was listening to early 90s country, when country was actually worth listening to.
September 2, 2016 @ 10:20 am
Hey, Trigger. A quick sidebar if you will. I just found out Brent Cobb has already released two songs from his upcoming record and I was surprised nothing had be said about it here. Did I just miss it?
September 2, 2016 @ 12:30 pm
Hey Richard,
This is a good question. Both those songs released by Brent Cobb were originally part of “exclusives,” meaning whatever outlet originally posted them is supposed to receive a wide berth from other outlets of a day or two before covering them, and sometimes the media is unable to be embedded, making it even more difficult to cover. That doesn’t eliminate me covering the songs on subsequent days, but frankly, I don’t like to go sup off of some other media outlet’s table to create my content. That’s why I also think that exclusives are ineffective, and sometimes hurt artists. This is the reason you may not see many certain songs or videos covered here. Whereas with this song, Morgan just released it to the masses, and since I felt like not enough was being made of it because it really wasn’t accompanied by a big media push, I decided to cover it.
I’m really looking forward to Brent Cobb’s album, and I am sure he will get plenty of attention here around his album release.
September 2, 2016 @ 1:32 pm
Totally makes sense. I was unaware of the exclusive releases. Definitely digging WMM and, in case you haven’t heard of him, I think you’d be a fan of a singer/songwriter named Tyler Childers from up here in KY.
September 2, 2016 @ 1:35 pm
Can’t wait for Cobb’s album. Wish he was touring with Chris Stapleton, that might be my ultimate country concert right now
September 2, 2016 @ 10:38 am
Wow! This is a great single! It’s original, something you can relate to, and a very enjoyable song! Nashville, we need more of this pronto!
September 2, 2016 @ 10:40 am
How can people consider Metro-Bro (or whatever) to be in the same genre as this song?
September 2, 2016 @ 10:56 am
When I saw him a few years ago, he was mainly just covering George Strait and Easton Corbin songs. He’s all growed up!
September 2, 2016 @ 11:08 am
I am not sure if I am missing something, but this song has been on Texas radio quite a bit. Recorded by Gabe Garcia…WMM doesn’t change a thing, probably cause you shouldn’t try and fix what isn’t broken.
More power to him if he makes a dent on country radio with this one.
September 2, 2016 @ 11:08 am
I’ve been playing this one my radio station (WNIA Radio) quite a bit. Ok, everytime I’m on but still, it’s a damn great song and is sung by someone with talent. I’ll take it. After all, I can relate to the theme 100%
September 2, 2016 @ 11:24 am
I’m becoming a fan of his, guy seems like the real deal. What really made me a fan was catching some live feed from a sound check or something like that and hearing him play some paycheck, and I think some other classic songs. It was really cool. I’d say my favorite song off his EP was that Cheap Cologne, but I’m really looking forward to the album, and I’m hoping he can help open the door to some more traditional artists in the mainstream.
September 2, 2016 @ 11:49 am
I read this review not expecting much. I thought at least he doesn’t have a five-day stubble, a grey v-neck t-shirt and a backward baseball cap. Surprisingly the review was good. il iked the video for “Missing”, so I hopped over to youtube and listened to ALL of the tracks. I thought I might learn to like this guy. I watched all the videos again, checked his website and I thought that, yes, I kinda like this guy. And I thought, aw shit, I DO like this guy! I hope the album sells so well that some powers-to-be wake up and pay attention. The obvious comparison to George Strait (looks, style and voice) doesn’t hurt, either. There will never be another King George, but this guy comes mighty close. I think I’ll hop over to his website and pre-order the new album.
September 2, 2016 @ 11:53 am
I was hoping you’d review this, Trigger! And glad I’m not the only one who saw George Strait comparisons. Man oh man, I can’t wait until his album is released. I will definitely buy it. And if the rest of his album is anything like the songs I’ve already heard, I think we’ve got a strong contender for album of the year.
September 2, 2016 @ 11:58 am
While it’s certainly great to hear more traditional Country music on mainstream radio, I am still a little dismayed that this recent batch of guys making waves (Morgan, Pardi, Pitney to an extent) are unable to get anything that isn’t an up-tempo, “feel-good” song played. I don’t need every song at radio to be a slow, downer ballad, but the fact that even Stapleton and his label seemed apprehensive to releasing “Fire Away” to radio or pushing it (if they even did) suggests we still have a lot of work that remains undone. I get that country radio wasn’t destroyed in a day and it won’t be reborn in a day, but it is rather depressing that the only way for traditional-leaning artists to get played on the radio is to be a young, handsome guy who keeps it “upbeat and fun”.
September 2, 2016 @ 12:21 pm
Trying to pinpoint who in the 90’s era last month to who exactly he reminded me of. Got to thinking of Ricky van Shelton but then a few weeks ago I was listening to Kevin Denney (that’s just Jessie) and that’s who he reminds me of. Hoping for the brightest of futures for him.
September 2, 2016 @ 6:44 pm
FYI, Kevin Denney recently released some new music.
September 3, 2016 @ 10:47 am
I still see his name around Nashville playing different places. A lot of writers rounds. Glad he’s still making music.
September 3, 2016 @ 7:25 am
Pretty sure William Michael Morgan wrote a song on Kevin Denny’s new album… Not 100% sure but I think I read that somewhere
September 2, 2016 @ 2:11 pm
George jones asked who was gonna will fill there shoes and i think between chis stapleton, jon pari, WMM, and ill incude mo pitney, things are finaly moving in the right direction.
September 2, 2016 @ 2:58 pm
Maybe. Let’s pump the brakes some and remember that the same way people are talking about Pitney, Pardi and Morgan were the same way people were talking about Joe Nichols after his first 2 albums. Long term I think there are still a ton of questions about guys like Morgan and Pardi…even if the first sample size is solid.
September 2, 2016 @ 3:34 pm
” Long term I think there are still a ton of questions about guys like Morgan and Pardi…even if the first sample size is solid.
”
And Pitney , I’d suggest. Yes these folks are all FINE vocalists in the country tradition and I know a lot of fans ( myself among them ) appreciate their efforts to KEEP IT COUNTRY . But here’s my concern . George Jones sounded nothing like John Cash who sounded nothing like Willie Nelson who sounded nothing like Merle or Dwight who sounded nothing like John Anderson or Don Williams , Alan Jackson , George Strait ( etc.. ) . I think you see where I’m going here. These greats ALL managed to inject their own very unique and identifiable sound into the tradition …their own respective vocal character and style . I’m not sure I hear that game-changing uniqueness in these young up-and-comers . Perhaps a Chris Stapleton or a Josh Turner bring that uniqueness . Again …not saying these folks aren’t terrific . I just wonder if they have ” IT ” when it comes to making an identifiable and lasting mark on traditional country music. I think even the mainstream guys , poor songs aside, have that uniqueness issue to contend with in terms of any long-term impact . They seem far to cookie -cutter generic and manufactured to leave a serious mark on the history… ( Sam Hunt , Cole Swindell …even Dierks ….not a chance , I don’t think )
September 2, 2016 @ 4:41 pm
But this was the reason I wrote the first paragraph of this review. I think we can get stuck in expecting the worst to happen in the future, and then all of a sudden we don’t enjoy the present. If we get two really great albums out of Morgan and Pitney, I’d say that’s a win. That’s about as good as you can expect from most any artist if you think about it. It’s only a select few that go on to have legendary careers. Maybe those two will as well, but you have to start somewhere. That’s also why we should support their music now so they don’t have to change due to economic pressures.
September 2, 2016 @ 8:45 pm
Right On!
September 3, 2016 @ 1:40 am
I wasn’t suggesting that we shouldn’t support these guys whatsoever. I was responding to Mike’s musings that he had questions about a few of the ‘new kids ‘ . I was probably off topic in that respect .I wasn’t alluding to their possible capitulation musically but to their individuality / identity. I guess Stapleton may have set the bar even higher than we thought with his one -of- a- kind vocal style and his choice of material . I agree Trigger ..we should be grateful that these guys have grabbed the torch and are passionate about running with it …and hope they run a LONG way .
September 2, 2016 @ 2:17 pm
WMM does a good version of this song. Still like Gabe Garcia’s the best, however. I agree nice to hear someone from Nashville playing country music.
September 2, 2016 @ 4:28 pm
You know it when you hear it. From the first note, you know this song is country.
Wouldn’t say it’s GREAT, but it’s definitely GOOD, and waaaaaaaaaaay better than whatever trash they’re playing on the radio now.
September 2, 2016 @ 4:48 pm
Considering this was cut post-EP while assembling the rest of a full-length album, I’m feeling even more wildly optimistic about the quality of its looming release.
Even Mo Pitney has kind of compromised a bit in prepping the release of “Behind This Guitar” with his current single “Everything” incorporating an easily noticeable drum machine and some modern production polish. I’m sure his album will turn out pretty sound regardless, but it’s really saying something when nothing we’ve heard thus far from William Michael Morgan even suggests he’s following suit in haggling with executives for a middle ground.
And why should he? “I Met A Girl” has EXPLODED at country radio in this past week and a half. Now it’s looking like it has an outside shot at reaching #1 despite charting for 48 weeks to date. It’s REALLY saying something when it has been charting four times as long as Blake Shelton’s current single “She’s Got A Way With Words” and yet the latter’s Net Negative Rating is double that of Morgan’s eternally-charting song according to radio callout data (Shelton’s song has about 28% Negative callout compared to about 13.5% for Morgan’s).
I’m honestly a little teary-eyed typing this. What a positive impression he’s setting! =)
September 2, 2016 @ 6:12 pm
Trigger, I know that WMM has had decent chart success, and airplay on some stations. Do you foresee Mo Pitney releasing any singles that may propel him to having similar success like WMM has now?
September 2, 2016 @ 7:34 pm
The major difference between Mo Pitney and William Michael Morgan is their labels. MOrgan is on a strong label that can help open up doors and get him on the radio. Mo Pitney is on Curb Records, which is incredible they still know how to turn on the lights. Curb has had a little success with Lee Brice, but they’ve already been mismanaging Mo, and all his singles so far have failed. Curb still thinks it’s 1997. That doesn’t mean Mo can’t find success, but it will be in spite of his label, not because of it.
One thing Mo has that’s better than Morgan at the moment is grassroots. Not a knock on Morgan, but Mo has been around longer, and has been working the RFD-TV circuit for years.
September 2, 2016 @ 7:55 pm
Thanks for the insight, Trigger. Always enjoy the articles. Man, I sure do hope Mo releases “Clean Up On Isle 5” as a single at some point. I am really looking forward to Mo’s album.
September 2, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
I saw William Michael Morgan at WeFest on the small barn stage after Kid Rock finished. He didn’t go on til about 1 AM and the small crowd was loving his set. Even with Tim McGraw and Eric Church headlining, WMM was hands down the highlight of my weekend. He played the majority of his EP and mixed in some Merle and Garth. I’m a 21 year old who enjoys pop country and is worried about the direction of the genre in recent years, but this guy gives me hope for the future.
September 2, 2016 @ 8:11 pm
I’m on holidays in Malaysia with limited internet, but I still played that twice and want more.
That is such good catchy feel good music. The kind that sounds so simple but is actually so professional
September 2, 2016 @ 11:05 pm
I pissed that guy off on twitter for making fun of Vinyl (I think that was it?). Something about saying “girl” half a million times and bro-country douchebags were jealous. I wanted to like him, I really did. But then I heard that song. And “I met a girl.” Fuck “I met a girl.” Fuck that song right in the worst part of it’s asshole. Ya know, the small parts where you can never really get 100% of the shit out of it? Yeah, fuck him right there.
September 3, 2016 @ 8:11 am
Thanks for that image bro! Haha! You have a way with words, colourfull language, i think they call that! Very funny!
September 3, 2016 @ 8:24 am
This is a good week for those of us who like country music. FGL’s new album is looking like it won’t top BB (according to HDD, it’s close though) & won’t hit 150k in total consumption, which is lower than what many projected.
And WMM passed Blake on the charts & SGAWW has totally stagnated (I think Warner/Blake took a risk w/this one & it has backfired big time, as Nadia pointed out it’s getting high negatives, plus a lot of radio is reluctant to play it due to the language – which ok I think is silly). Now if only MOVE dies at radio as well. I’ve given up on DFG, it’s going to #1.
WMM should go #1 unless it gets blocked by Kenny & Pinks La blah boulevard, which has flown up the charts.
September 3, 2016 @ 4:30 pm
I just had a strong feeling that Shelton overplayed his hand by releasing what should have remained an album track as a full-fledged radio single.
It’s that sort of rarer song that I already didn’t like from the onset, but I just find myself hating more and more as time goes on because of how it passes off mean-spiritedness under the guise of schmaltzy production that screams “Please feel sorry for me!”. I HATE songs that do that where they so desperately beg for you to sympathize with a douche who doesn’t deserve any shred of it.
And, thankfully, a sizable number of listeners seem to agree with me unlike with “Redneck Crazy” in the past. I’m sure Warner Brothers will still attempt to payola their song to the top just to secure his #1 streak. But even if that happens, I’m sure this is going to PLUNGE like a boulder upon peaking.
September 3, 2016 @ 9:33 am
Wow…I might actually have to go buy this one! I love it! If I didn’t have a kid in school (which he may just be pulled this year for reasons I won’t go into…great school, but personal issues), I would be going the same place! Maybe next year, I will do just that. That’s the plan, anyway.
September 3, 2016 @ 9:16 pm
Who has the production credit on this song and are they producing all of the Vinyl album? This cut is good, i like his voice, but I am cautious how the rest of this album will sound.
September 3, 2016 @ 11:04 pm
jimmy ritchie and scott hendricks are listed as the producers for this, as well as i met a girl and the rest of the album.
jimmy ritchie recently produced the new mark chestnutt album and scott hendricks mainly works with dan + shay and blake shelton so that sounds like a push from the label but jimmy is his main producer
September 4, 2016 @ 6:23 am
Thanks, I was thinking this reminded me of Mark Chesnutt’s recent material–the way the steel guitar is recorded in particular-bright, crisp and out in front— so that explains it. Jimmy did a great job with the production on Tradition Lives and it is a great album, so that adds to my interest in this one.
September 4, 2016 @ 12:05 am
I’m a country fan from Sweden and discovered country just like 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve listened to nothing else. My first love was George Strait and it’s been sad that I discovered him at the exit of his career. The new stuff in the mainstream is mostly crap, but William Michael Morgan give me hope. In his voice you can hear the same big warm heart as in George’s. I felt a big smile in my face when I heard this fantastic song.
September 4, 2016 @ 7:24 pm
Just saw the track list for Vinyl. 11 tracks including 5 new songs-Missing plus 4 more new songs-and the 6 EP songs (I Met A Girl, Vinyl, Cheap Cologne, Beer Drinker, Back Seat Driver). Its priced around 7.99, presumably because all the EP songs are included again and that is more than half the album. Lonesomeville from the EP is a nice track too.
September 5, 2016 @ 9:21 am
If this song does become a hit and folks take notice perhaps it can open the door for guys like Joe Nichols to come out with more good songs so that his career can get going again. He has such a good country voice and I would love to see him back in the game.
Yeah, I really do like this tune and I have pre ordered the cd from Amazon.
September 10, 2016 @ 10:06 pm
Saw WMM and Mo Pitney together tonight. Mo is more the Randy Travis/Alan Jackson type, who let’s their music speak for them.
WMM has a charisma about him and I believe that has helped in his climb up the charts while Pitney’s singles have been stuck at the lower end it the top 40.
September 10, 2016 @ 10:19 pm
Got to see WMM and Mo Pitney together tonight.
Mo is more of a Randy Travis type, who let’s his music speak.
WMM has a charisma about him that towers over Pitney and I believe that has helped in his climb up the charts.
All in all, tonight’s combo show at the Dyersburg, TN Fair was as good as it gets in terms of mainstream traditional acts. There was a lot I liked. I’m not real fond of the song “Vinyl”, but other than that all of the original songs ranged from passable to good and to great.
WMM did a lot of covers as the headliner. He killed “Don’t Close Your Eyes” in an acoustic setting.
Trent Tomlinson also showed up unannounced (he grew up nearby) and offered up two good songs including “One Wing In the Fire.”
Just a good night that shows there is still hope for country music.
January 4, 2017 @ 3:18 pm
Too bad this isn’t an original song. Texas Country artist Gabe Garcia has it on his 2012 album. The original version is way better in my opinion.
February 21, 2017 @ 10:57 am
So is everyone just going to ignore the fact that several people have now commented that Gabe Garcia recorded this song for his album “Missing” in 2012? WMM is not the first to record this song so it’s actually another cover. Let’s please give credit where it’s due for these artists!
February 21, 2017 @ 11:58 am
I don’t know that anyone is ignoring it. I just don’t think it’s the big controversy some people are trying to make it into. In country music, and since the very beginning, artists have recorded and covered other people’s songs, and songs that were cut before them by other performers. They’re called “standards.” In fact yesterday I wrote an article about a song originally recorded by David Allan Coe that wasn’t a hit, became a major hit for George Jones a few years later, was turned down by George Strait, and then Chris Stapleton had a #1 with 37 years later in “Tennessee Whiskey.” Back in the day this used to happen all the time. Look at “Sunday Morning Coming Down” for example. There are hundreds of instances of this. No knock against Gabe Garcia. Good for him for seeing the value in this song and cutting it first, but nobody is purposefully excluding him from the conversation. It’s an interesting tidbit, but not a major oversight.