Blue Ridge Now
Morgan Wade and the Stepbrothers not what you’d expect
Morgan Wade knows what people think when they first hear her Southern drawl.
The Virginia-based singer isn’t a country performer. At least not like a lot of the country music that is played on the radio today.
She grew up listening to Elvis and Johnny Cash and her music has more bite and energy.
“I don’t buy into any of the stuff on the radio. I like real stuff,” she said. “I came across people like Jason Isbell and American Aquarium and it sounded like stuff I liked. I can’t get into the pop country or any of that stuff. I have to have that real music.”
Her real music comes in the form of Morgan Wade and the Stepbrothers, which released their debut in January. The group plays its first Asheville show at 6 p.m. Friday at French Broad Brewery.
Wade had played with other musicians since she began to play music several years ago but formed this group about a year ago. The group is made up of Bengy Wagner (drums), Drew Sprinkle (guitar), Ed McGee (bass) and Joe Link (piano) and, no, none are her actual stepbrothers.
“This is the first time my songs sound the way I want them to sound,” she said. “With my Southern accent and everything everyone always assumes we’re more country music. I play with these guys and it has more of the rock tinge that I wanted.”
One of the biggest reasons for the rock element in her music is that Wagner and McGee have backgrounds in punk music. Wade said that gives her music more of an edge than it previously had.
The group’s debut, “Puppets With My Heart,” showcases Wade’s songwriting skills, her strong voice and the group’s Americana leanings.
The next step for Wade and her bandmates is to make music a full-time job. The plan, she said, is to do that this summer. She plans to start a little earlier as she has some solo gigs scheduled.
“It was an easy decision for me,” she said. “It’s been easier doing it this way than to drop everything, go broke, get mad at each other and break up. We’ve saved a nest egg and now that we’re making some money it will help.”