Grace Morrison Gets Self-Analytical in ‘Daughter,’ New Album’s Title Track [Exclusive Premiere]

Grace Morrison takes a long, hard look at herself in her new song "Daughter," premiering exclusively via The Boot. One line in particular, she says, speaks perfectly to the theme of her entire new album, in fact.

"There’s a line in that song: 'I’ll spend another day, put another suitcase down.' When I was looking at the themes of the album, I thought, 'Hot damn, that’s it! This thing is about dropping your emotional baggage -- just letting it all go and owning who you are,'" Morrison reflects of the upbeat album opener. "But, truthfully, it isn’t a coincidence. This has been the theme of my life and my writing: trying to find catharsis for my own baggage and simultaneously carrying around the baggage of my parents and grandparents.

"Life wasn’t kind to them. I’ve always wanted to vindicate them in every way possible … because I’m their daughter," she adds. "So while this album is about stepping into your own power, part of me hopes that they feel vindicated from wherever in the heavens they are."

"Daughter" is the title track of Morrison's forthcoming new album, produced by Jon Evans -- bassist for Tori Amos, Chris Cornell and others -- and featuring legendary producer, songwriter and musician Lloyd Maines. She wrote all but one of the 12 songs solo; "Just Loving You" is a Lori McKenna co-write. Morrison's fans, meanwhile, funded the recording of Daughter via her online tip jar.

"That woman can paint a picture with two words. Writing with her really inspired me to dig into the everyday," Morrison says of McKenna. She adds that she's "a huge fan of" the Chicks, "so the fact that Natalie Maines’ dad wound up playing on 90 percent of this record gives me goosebumps."

Morrison has actually never met the elder Maines -- though they both played the Philadelphia Folk Festival in 2020, the event was virtual, so she never had the chance to run into him backstage. However, she "took a shot in the dark" and emailed him with a collaboration request.

"I really didn’t expect a response because he’s freakin' Lloyd Maines. I think he replied within 20 minutes," Morrison shares. "My dad would’ve gotten a kick out of that (he passed in 2016): a country music legend playing with his daughter."

Morrison has spent much of her music career just out of the solo spotlight: as a backup singer for rock legends including Eddie Money and with various bandmates. When she started thinking about Daughter, in fact, she was anticipating making a simple, stripped-down, five-song EP, "but it turned into a fully-produced, 15-song, too-long record and wound up as 12 country songs."

Full album details are below. For more information on Morrison and Daughter, which is due out on Aug. 20, visit GraceMorrison.com.

Grace Morrison, Daughter Tracklist:

1. "Daughter"
2. "Lone Star"
3. "Alice"
4. "Free"
5. "Small Town Lament"
6. "Things You Already Know"
7. "Sloppy"
8. "Put the Bottle Down"
9. "Just Loving You"
10. "Woman Like That"
11. "The Edge of I Am"
12. "Mothers"