What You Didn't Know About Maren Morris' Childhood
Country star Maren Morris was born on April 10, 1990, in Arlington, Texas (via Biography), and spent the majority of her childhood running around her parents' beauty salon. Greg and Kallie Morris still own and operate Maren Karsen Salon, named after their daughters, in Arlington to this day (via Sounds Like Nashville).
It's not clear whether Morris practiced her vocal skills to customers having their hair done, but when her parents threw parties she did treat their guests to renditions of LeAnn Rimes and Patsy Cline via their karaoke machine (via Laurel Canyon UK). These performances, alongside listening to her favorite musicians like Sheryl Crow, Patty Griffin, The Chicks, and even Swedish rock band The Cardigans (via Off The Record) ignited a passion for music.
As her interest in music progressed, Morris began mastering her writing skill by crafting short stories and poems at school. By the age of 12, her father noticed her devoted interest in music and bought her a guitar. It was history from there. "From the get-go they've just known that I was different," Morris said of her parents (via Taste of Country Nights). "I think that they really appreciate that it's more than just music. It's a platform."
Being a musician as a child made Maren Morris rethink what she wanted to do in the industry
Pretty much immediately after her dad gave her that guitar, Maren Morris started touring venues around her home state. "I started playing all around Texas — any bar or club that would let me in there," she told Laurel Canyon UK. "I was the only kid in school who had a job on the weekends!" Doing shows as she progressed into adulthood changed the pathway she wanted to take in the industry, however.
"Being an artist as a child ... I was touring all over the state and doing ever chili cook-off and talent show you can think of," Morris told Off The Record. "By the time I reached my early 20s and wanted to move to Nashville, I was very burned out on the idea of being on stage and in the spotlight." This gave her the idea to start writing for other people, leading to her penning songs for the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Tim McGraw, and Jessie James Drecker (via Sounds Like Nashville).
At the same time, Morris began releasing her own music. In 2005, she released her debut album "Walk On" followed by two more via an independent label (via Absolute Radio Country). It wasn't until her first major label release "Hero" in 2016 that Morris made waves in the country genre, and from there she's become one of the world's most recognized singer-songwriters.