God, Family, Country

God, Family, Country
by: Craig Morgan and Jim DeFelice
Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks
release date: 9/27/2022
genre: Biographies & Memoirs, Nonfiction (Adult)

Full of personal stories about his family, military service, and musical career, Craig Morgan's memoir is authentic and very enjoyable. Listening to Morgan narrate his story on audiobook makes it an even more personalized and intimate look at his interesting life.

As a music lover of many genres, including country, I often read memoirs of musicians to learn the stories behind the stages and songs. I like Morgan's meaningful and down to earth songs about real life, and love his performance of That's What I Love About Sunday.

The book is surprisingly fascinating, with a completely compelling and relatable writing style by the team of Morgan and DeFelice. Morgan takes readers through the exuberant highs and heartbreaking lows of his life. He goes deep into his roots in Nashville, Tennessee and his service in the Army around the world. The well-paced story is also one of falling in love, marriage, and building a family. He shares his faith, hobbies of hunting, fishing, and motorcycle riding, as well as an exciting transition to a country music career. The glimpse into his writing of one particular song brought me to tears. All of these components add up to a riveting audiobook memoir!

Thank you to Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the advance copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

“Country music icon, army veteran, father, outdoorsman—Craig Morgan shares all aspects of his life, revealing stories even his most avid fans don’t know.

In 1989, as US news outlets declared an end to Operation Just Cause, Craig Morgan was part of an elite group of military operatives jumping into the jungle along the Panamanian border on a covert operation. Fans know the country music star from his hit songs and acclaimed albums, but there’s a lot more to him—a soldier who worked with the CIA in Panama, an undercover agent who fought sex traffickers in Thailand, and a dedicated family man who lives the values he sings.

Craig details these many facets of his life and more in God, Family, Country. An on-stage appearance with his father’s band at age ten may have planted the seeds for life as a country star, but first he trained as a paratrooper in the army. After earning numerous distinctions, his path to sergeant major was all but assured. Then came a momentous decision: he left the active military to pursue music.”

I had no point of reference for Craig Morgan, country music, the US military, or any of 100 other touch points presented in this book. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the ride.

The whole book is a (mildly disjointed) collection of anecdotes of Craig’s life, from boyhood to present day, though definitely not in that order. Some of the stories are funny. Some hopeful. Some gritty and raw.

Just like country music, I suppose.

My favourite part of the audiobook (besides having the author narrate, which is always such a gift) are the snippets of his songs at the beginnings and ends of chapters.

7/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this personable ARC.