I first heard of Morgan Wallen in 2014 when he competed on Season 6 of the Voice on NBC. Initially on Usher’s team and then Adam Levine. He was eliminated in the playoffs. In 2016 he released his major label debut with the single “The Way I Talk”. I knew then he had a unique sound and style of his own and was on his way to making it big. In July of 2018 he finally had his first # 1 song with “Whiskey Glasses” and he hasn’t looked back since. In 2019 he won the prestigious new artist of the year award from the Country Music Association. I first met him when he was on tour with Luke Bryan and they came to Jacksonville with Jon Pardi. We talked about Calhoun’s in Knoxville, Tennessee his hometown. I then saw him again soon after at a convention in Nashville and we took a selfie. The last time I ran into him was in Orlando for a Jason Aldean concert with Riley Green. He has always been gracious to me backstage and always conversational and kind. This Friday he will be in Fort Lauderdale for the Tortuga Music Festival on the beach with sand in his boots.