Morgan Evans Biography

Morgan John Evans (born 24 April 1985) is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He released a self-titled debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Evans married US-born country pop singer-songwriter, Kelsea Ballerini, on 2 December 2017 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and they reside in Nashville. Also in that month Evans released a single, "I Do", which references his marriage.

Biography

Evans was born on 24 April 1984 in Newcastle. He has a younger brother, Tom, who is also a musician playing bass guitar. At the age of 13, Evans performed his first gig. Whilst attending Warners Bay High School he was in a local rock trio, Extortion, which won a state high school band competition, Youthrock, in 2002.

Extortion were renamed, Solver. As of 2006 Evans provided lead vocals and guitar in that group, Tom was on bass guitar and a friend, Nicholas Cook, was the drummer. The band won Artist of the Year and Best Rock Act at the MusicOZ Awards of 2006.

In 2007 Evans won the Road to Tamworth competition and for his prize he flew to Nashville to record a single. He was signed to Sony BMG and released his debut extended play (EP), Big Skies, in September 2007. The title track received airplay on Australian country music radio stations. In January 2012 Evans released his second EP, Live Each Day, through Warner Music Australasia. This was followed in August of that year by a third EP, While We're Young. Evans supported Taylor Swift and Thirsty Merc on their Australian tours. He was named the New Oz Artist of the Year at the 2013 CMC Music Awards.

In March 2014 Evans released a self-titled debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. At the 2014 CMC Music Awards he won the Oz Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year and Best Australian Video of the Year. His track, "Like a Tornado", was short-listed for the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition of 2014.

He hosted the CMC Music Awards for three consecutive years, from 2015 to 2017. He is the 2016 Country Music Association Global Artist of the Year and has won five fan voted Country Music Channel Awards, including Male Artist of the Year.

Following his relocation to Nashville, Evans signed with Warner Music Nashville in May 2017, which led to the release of his debut US single, "Kiss Somebody".

"I Do"

Evans released a single, "I Do", on 8 December 2017. He explained via Instagram that it was written, "about his girlfriend, recorded it about my fiance, releasing it about my wife" Kelsea Ballerini, whom he married on 2 December 2017 in Mexico. Drew Fitzgerald from One Country felt, "The track sums up everything found in that simple vow: falling in love, what he loves about his new wife Kelsea Ballerini, and his hope for their lifelong union" adding "Look out for this one at every 2018 wedding." Courtney Carr from The Boot described it as, a "feel good", explaining, "Evans uses those two sacred words not only as a wedding vow but to show the progression through which every happy relationship goes." It appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart top 100, No. 16 on the ARIA Digital Tracks, No. 8 on the Australian Artist Singles and No. 4 on the Hitseekers Singles charts.

Personal life

Evans married American country pop singer-songwriter, Kelsea Ballerini, on 2 December 2017 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. They had started dating in March 2016 and were engaged on Christmas Day of that year. The couple reside in Nashville.

Discography

Albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		AUS	AUS Country
Morgan Evans	Released: 14 March 2014 Label: Warner Australasia (5419611352)	20	1

Extended plays

Title	EP details
Big Skies	Released: 4 September 2007 Label: Sony BMG Format: CD, digital download
Live Each Day	Released: 20 January 2012 Label: Warner Australasia Format: CD, digital download
While We're Young	Released: 24 August 2012 Label: Warner Australasia Format: CD, digital download

Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
		AUS	US Country	US Country Airplay
"Big Skies"	2007	"?	"?	"?	Big Skies
"Live Each Day"	2012	"?	"?	"?	Live Each Day
"Carry On"	2013	"?	"?	"?	While We're Young
"One Eye for an Eye"	2014	"?	"?	"?	Morgan Evans
"Like a Tornado"		"?	"?	"?
"Kiss Somebody"	2017	53	24	17	rowspan="2"
"I Do"		72	"?	"?
""?" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Awards

APRA Awards

Since 1982 the APRA Awards are run by Australian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.

|- | 2018 | Country work of the Year | "Kiss Somebody" | rowspan="1" |- |}

CMC Awards

The CMC Awards are awarded annually by Country Music Channel Australia.

|- | 2013|| Himself || New Oz Artist of the Year || |- | 2014|| Himself || Oz Artist of the Year || |- | 2014|| Himself || Male Artist of the Year || |- | 2014|| "Carry On" || Australian Video of the Year || |- | 2015|| Himself || Male Artist of the Year || |-

ASTRA Awards

The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association awarded 'Excellence in subscription television in production, programming and talent' from 2003-15.

|- | 2015|| Himself || Most Outstanding New Talent || |-