Craig Morgan says he's not a hillbilly, drops 'sexy' new album 'A Whole Lot More to Me'
Forget redneck yacht clubs and road warrior weekends, Craig Morgan, has a whole new side he wants to show his fans.
The 51-year-old country singer dropped his new album "A Whole Lot More to Me" on Friday and says there is a lot more to him than just being a "country boy."
"I tell people all the time, I'm not a cowboy, redneck or a hillbilly. I am a country boy, but I grew up traveling and seeing a lot and so I was influenced by a lot more than just country," he said in an exclusive interview with AOL. "I grew up loving James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Lionel Richie, The Commodores, that style. I also loved Verne Gosdin, Gene Watson, John Conlee and some of the more traditional country. This album I feel is more of an influence of all that, whereas in the past I feel like people would feel like I was more country than anything else.?"
Being stuck in a purely country bucket in terms of personality and lifestyle is something the Tennessee-bred star says he's dealt with in the past. "I wanted people to see this side of me. Not necessarily a softer side, not necessarily a sexy side, but a less ... country... I have to be careful, because I am a country boy, but I wanted them to see that less country side of me."
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And while some of his early hits like "International Harvester" and "Redneck Yacht Club" were massive successes, he was quick to note that his singing career definitely doesn't define who he is as a person.
"I wanted people to understand that there's a lot more to me than pickup trucks, tailgates and dirt roads. I don't even drink a ton of beer and whiskey. I'm a wine drinker. That's what 'A Whole Lot More To Me' is about. I like wine and sushi – the things that generally aren't associated with country.?
PHOTOS: Craig Morgan through the years
His cadre of songs on this album definitely showcases his range as an artists. Morgan mixes soulful and sexy crooners like "Nowhere Without You" with more uptempo tunes like "I'm That Country."
"Vocally, I feel like this is as strong as anything I've ever done," Morgan expressed. "'Nowhere Without You,' it's just one of the most powerful songs for me, emotionally to deliver. It just feels big. When I sing that song, the hair stands up on my arms and neck. It feels super sexy and it's the kind of thing that a guy would want to tell his girl or vice versa.?"
Morgan also uses this album to reflect on his childhood with a song like "I Can't Wait to Stay." Despite enjoying a "less country" lifestyle now, he says growing up he never wanted to leave his small Tennessee town and couldn't wait to be "that guy."
The album, which took over a year to put together, is a mixture of all of Morgan's influences, which is perhaps, what makes it so strong. It's been four years since he put out new material, and it's safe to say he came out swinging with his record.
