Biography

Over the last five years, Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Morris has been busy building: a family, a band, and a dedicated following in the fiercely competitive Minneapolis music scene. Releasing back to back albums in 2011 and 2012 (Grateful Moon, Lonely or Free), earned Morris a reputation for engaging performances, and a voice both clear and lush. Looking to bring songwriting back into her life, following the birth of her second child, in 2014 Sarah joined a prompt-based online songwriting challenge. At first unsure of how she would manage to write a song each week with two little ones at her feet, Sarah was delighted to find that the challenge actually gave her the structure - and the inspiration she’d been craving. The result was weekly video postings of new songs in their most raw state, and loads of new material.

In the spring of 2015, Sarah and her longtime bandmates (Thomas Nordlund, Andrew Foreman, and Zach Schmidt worked with accomplished producer, and longtime collaborator, Eric Blomquist to record Ordinary Things, which earned international airplay and critical acclaim. Recently, Sarah and the band returned to RiverRock Studios to record her third album, Hearts In Need Of Repair. On her latest effort, Sarah offers 11 new songs spanning the Americana sonosphere. Sarah co-produced the album with Eric Blomquist. Thomas, Andrew, and Zach joined them in the studio, laying a foundation that blends folk-rock and country influences. Hearts In Need Of Repair showcases Sarah’s captivating vocals and sharply crafted lyrics, exploring vulnerability, heartbreak, and grown-up, imperfect love.

Born and raised in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, music was etched upon her DNA from a young age. Morris immersed herself in her parent’s eclectic record collection, filling her head with the sounds of Bowie, Sinatra and The Carpenters, among others, before finally falling in love with the storytelling and songcraft in country music. The music of Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alison Krauss, and Kathy Mattea changed Sarah’s course entirely. After graduating from the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, she wasted no time packing her bags for Nashville. Her years in Music City instilled a traditional songwriting sensibility that has earned her latest album Ordinary Things national airplay, and critical acclaim: “Rootsy singer Sarah Morris offers a Norah Jones-like approach to Americana/alt-country, smoothing overs its rough edges with a butter-velvety voice and an intimate songwriting style.” Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune.

A polished and committed performer, Morris’s hard work has paid off, propelling her into the national spotlight as a top 4 finalist in The NewSong Music Contest at Lincoln Center in NYC (January 2016), her song “I Go Back” took 2nd place at the 2016 Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC, and the opening track of Ordinary Things, “Brighter” was a 2016 Americana semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. Ordinary Things spent 6 months on the AMA chart (Americana Music Association), reaching #85, as well as 2 months on the Euro Americana chart. Sarah has opened for JD Souther, Suzy Bogguss, and Teddy Thompson & Kelly Jones. Sarah performs roughly 80 shows a year – both with her band, and with fellow Americana artist, Vicky Emerson, in their duo, The Home Fires.