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TAKING LIFE BY THE HORNS
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July 2012
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by Amanda Jakl
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Category: Featured
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"There's nothing I can't [recover from] and the worst thing that happens is I die," Morgan says. And that philosophy is evident in every episode of his Outdoor Channel reality show, "Craig Morgan: All Access Outdoors." Now in its third season, which begins July 1, the show isn't just about hunting. "[It] chronicles how I integrate all of my outdoor activities, whether it be hunting, fishing, skydiving, deep-sea diving, motorcycle racing, whatever outdoor activity fits into my touring life and my family life."
A Tennessee native, Morgan grew up where hunting was a natural part of his childhood. "I hunted as early as 8 or 10 years old with my folks," Morgan recalls. "I remember harvesting my first deer at about 14 or 15 years old with my mom."
Morgan started in television long before he got his own show. "I've been hunting on other shows on the Outdoor Channel for a long time," he says. The idea of filming his own show was brewing for quite a while. A friend, and now co-producer of the show, suggested the concept of following the singer's touring and hunting schedule almost a decade ago, but Morgan didn't want to risk his music career. "At the time, I already had a couple hits and I just felt like it wouldn't behoove me to give any more time away from my music," Morgan explains. Eventually he realized he could do both at the same time.
After his fifth album, Morgan was in a position to seriously consider a show and "Craig Morgan: All Access Outdoors" was born. The show immediately became the Outdoor Channel's No. 1 rated hunting show on Saturday morning, which isn't surprising when you consider episodes have included hunting red stag, bungee jumping in New Zealand, skydiving with an old Army buddy, hog hunting in the woods of Tennessee, intense motorcycle racing and brown bear hunting in the wilds of Alaska.
If any of the activities Morgan does on the show seem extreme, he certainly doesn't view it that way. It's just the way he lives his life. "I never have [considered myself extreme] in the past, but you know I got a lot of extreme friends," he says. "I hang out with guys who do back flips on motorcycles."
Morgan's down-to-earth personality and his self-deprecating sense of humor help explain the popularity of the show. Unlike other reality shows, "All Access Outdoors" isn't scripted or as scheduled as a viewer might expect. In an episode from season 3, the fishing trip in Florida with Leeann Tweeden, ESPN commentator and host of "Poker After Dark," is a perfect example of events falling into place.
Morgan had a day off between concerts so he called Tweeden, asked her to fish and flew her to Florida to film the episode. As Morgan explains, "My life is sporadic and chaotic and organized as it can be."
Fans of the show can expect to see a bit more of Morgan's personal life in season 3. "We did a couple shows that will take place about my dad and [his band featuring Morgan's uncles] and the influence they've had not only on my hunting but my music," Morgan says. "We took them out on the road. There's a lot of difference in the touring industry now and the way it was in the late '60s, early '70s. [It's] just a really cool piece that people will be able to see."
Viewers will also learn of a surprise hunting paradise. "Hawaii is the best-kept hunting secret," Morgan says. "There's an area of Lanai, you would think you're in the Serengeti. I've never seen so many animals; it's unbelievable. And it's all free range. It's amazing."
Morgan is a prolific hunter so he can't eat everything he shoots. He makes good use of the whole animal. "I have a lot of them mounted," he says. "All the meat is shipped and what meat I don't use I donate to various organizations and families. I'm a big part of the Hunters for the Hungry program."
Not one to be pigeonholed in his television career, Morgan had a small cameo on the hit cable show "Army Wives" that aired in March and a multi-episode guest role as a medical examiner on the show "Rizzoli & Isles" that will air in July. Angie Harmon, who plays Rizzoli, starred in Morgan's music video for "This Ole Boy."
Craig Morgan's sixth album, "This Ole Boy," was released in February and debuted in the Top 5 of the Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, the best debut of his career. Morgan, who wrote seven of the 12 tracks, describes the album as "very descriptive, very image-driven and a lot of fun."
"This music is all about who I am and the people who I hang out with and the people who I think listen to my music," Morgan says. "It's the way we live. The country listeners love to ride four-wheelers and dirt bikes and they're not scared to try things. That's what this music's about."
The album continues to climb the country charts and it's not difficult to understand why. "We looked at all the music in the past that I had success with - "Redneck Yacht Club," "International Harvester," "That's What I Love About Sunday" - we looked at all of those songs that were huge and we tried to record an album like that," Morgan explains, "so I said it's a greatest hits record that nobody's ever heard the hits before."
Tracks like "Show Me Your Tattoo" is a playful song that makes Morgan "laugh every night," but more importantly because of the fan interaction. "We get to see tattoos," he adds with a chuckle. When it comes to a song that fans love and Morgan loves to sing, "Love Loves A Long Night" is where he "finally got it right."
Through all his success, Morgan has focused on giving back. For the past five years, he has hosted a charity weekend to raise money for Billy's Place, a home in Dickson, Tenn. (Morgan's hometown), for children who are temporarily displaced from their families. The annual outdoor event features dirtbike races, a sporting clay shoot and a concert. In 2011, Morgan raised $95,000 and he hopes this year to collect more than $100,000. "We just want to bring in people that share our passions and that are willing to support the charity," Morgan says.
With a hit reality show, a budding Hollywood career and a steady touring schedule, it's safe to say that Craig Morgan will be busy for a long time. In the end, though, he says it comes down to the music. "I want to make records as long as I can. As long as the fans want to hear my music and we can tour successfully and the people around me can prosper, I'm going to do that."
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