Morgan Easter - Not Without Love | Absolutely Gospel Music

Morgan Easter - Not Without Love

Morgan Easter, soprano for hit-makers Jeff & Sheri Easter, just released her first solo recording in eight years with Not Without Love. Our staff writer Chris Becker had a chance to talk with Morgan about the process now vs. then. Find out what's on Morgan's heart and how she feels about recording a CD this time around.

Chris Becker: I've heard the new solo album, NOT WITHOUT LOVE, and it sounds great. Did you have a particular goal or vision for this one?

Morgan: My main vision was to encourage people young and old. I want to be someone girls and guys of all ages can look to and find encouragement from. I know exactly how it feels to have incredible days and other days that aren’t so great. I’m a normal teenage girl. I make bad decisions and I make good decisions and I feel some people just need to know that they aren’t the only ones.

CB: This is your Sophomore release. Your first solo album, JESUS KNOWS ME, THIS I LOVE was, what, eight years ago? You were just a tyke on that one.

Morgan: I was! It’s crazy to listen to the different CDs now and hear the big difference in my voice between 8 or 9 years. I actually released my first CD when I was 5 and so that’s really funny to go back and listen to.

CB: Your brother, Madison Easter, was the Producer for NOT WITHOUT LOVE. I hear that he’s pretty proud of this one, his first album as a Producer. How cool is that?

Morgan: It’s so awesome to be able to work with him. I’ve always admired his taste in music because he loves ALL genres of music and I felt his input on this CD would really make if different from anything else I’ve heard in Southern Gospel.

CB: I hear that Madison’s wife Shannon wrote one of the songs.

Morgan: She did! She had an idea to write a song basically playing on common clichés. For example, the main idea of the song is when Life gives you lemons…Make lemonade. It’s a really neat song and she also sang backup on it.

CB: Tell us about the guest artists on the album. The album features guest appearances by Wes Hampton on “Broken,” Joe Habedank on “Dreaming Wide Awake,” your mom Sheri Easter on “Like My Mother Does.”

Morgan: The special guests on this album were just incredible. When I was trying to figure out who I could do a duet with on “Broken,” my brother automatically said Wes, and I was thrilled when he said he’d love to do it! Joe actually wrote “Dreaming Wide Awake,” and I figured it would be awesome for him to be able to sing on his own song, but with more of a country feel. Something fans haven’t really heard him do!

CB: Other titles on this one include: “God Knows What He’s Doing,” “Either Way,” “Just Keep Holding On,” “He’s Going Places,” and “Looking Up.” Tell us about some of the songs, the songwriters, and the song-picking process.

Morgan: Jimmy Yeary wrote “God Knows What He’s Doing” and “He’s Going Places.” He is just an incredible writer, and I immediately fell in love with these songs. Ricky Free (son of Brian Free) wrote “Not Without Love” and “Lookin’ Up” and I automatically related to both of them as soon as I heard them. Finally, my brother wrote and sang on, “Just Keep Holding On,” and it was just really incredible to be able to do a song with him.

CB: The album, to my ears, has a real, modern, Nashville-feel with some bluegrass roots here and there. I found myself thinking that any Country fan would love these songs before they even realized that they were songs about Jesus. Great job!

Morgan: Thank you! That’s really was what I was aiming for. I wanted to appeal to different people and I felt I could really relate because I prefer more of the country-ish sound.

CB: I read somewhere that you recently started college through a distance-learning program, so you can go on the road when needed, right? Did you declare a Major yet?

Morgan: I’m currently still a Senior at my public school I’ve gone to since Kindergarten, but I recently got accepted to Savannah College of Art and Design and I will obtain my Graphic Design degree completely online so I can still travel with Mom and Dad!

CB: What’s your funniest road story?

Morgan: Hmm. That’s a tough one when you travel with the group of people I do! Lol

CB: What about your greatest Ministry story? The one where you’re like, “Yep. That’s why we do this.”

Morgan: I had a man come up to me and say, “If it wasn’t for ‘I Need You More Today’ on the radio, I would have committed suicide.” Right then I knew what I was meant to do.

CB: Okay, so what’s next for Morgan Easter?

Morgan: I’m going to continue to travel with Mom and Dad, and I’m starting College in the fall!

CB: Okay now, here’s your chance: anything you want to say to your fans and supporters out there?

Morgan: I just want to say thank you so much for everything you do for me. You will never understand how much you truly mean to me. I love you and thank you for your support!

You can find out more information on Morgan's release by visiting http://www.jeffandsherieaster.com.