After more than 20 years of public life, it seemed like we had a pretty good handle on Craig Morgan.
He’s the country hit maker behind sentimental smashes like “That’s What I Love About Sundays” and good-natured jams like “Redneck Yacht Club.” He’s a Nashville native, U.S. Army veteran, and reality TV personality. He’s a dedicated family man and a Christian. Fans have long known about his charity work with the military. They know he runs a survival outfitter in remote Alaska, and that he recently became a pilot. They even remember Morgan as the hero who rushed into a burning building near his home in Dickson in 2011, saving two kids from the flames.
But with a new memoir titled God, Family, Country: Soldier, Singer, Husband, Dad—There’s a Whole Lot More to Me, Morgan reveals a complete self-portrait: one that’s even more colorful, and more clandestine.
“The thing is, I’ve talked about little snippets of these stories throughout my life. Some on the radio, in interviews and different things,” Morgan says. “But I have never put everything together, and it wasn’t until then that I went, ‘Holy shit. I have done a lot!’”
Along with digging into his country-music roots, his rock-solid faith, and more, Morgan’s book opens up about his time as an elite military operative, teaming up with Navy SEALS and even working with the CIA at the height of his country career. You read that right: While Craig Morgan was topping Billboard charts and making the morning TV rounds, he was also taking part in covert operations around the globe. It turns out this country boy is more James Bond than Jim Bob.
“I’ve never had a bucket list; I’ve just always lived,” Morgan says, downplaying what turns out to be a harrowing life story. “I’ve raced motorcycles. I’ve jumped out of airplanes. I’ve battled against human trafficking, worked with various governmental agencies, and it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time because that’s all I was doing at that moment. But when you stack ’em up, you go, ‘Good Lord, man. I forgot about this.’”
Out now in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook, God, Family, Country took Morgan over a year to write. To do so, he called up acclaimed military writer Jim DeFelice who’s best known as the co-author of Chris Kyle’s mega-seller American Sniper. Speaking about the book now, Morgan says he really enjoyed the writing process (he’s got a thing for new experiences, if you haven’t guessed), and he’s now excited to finally reveal aspects of his life no one—not even his biggest fans—have ever heard about. Because they were classified.
The book opens with a scene in Iraq in 2006, with Morgan in country for a gig entertaining the troops. On the way to the secure facility where he’d be performing, his motorcade comes under fire in an Al-Qaeda ambush, but Morgan is so calm he’s popping M&Ms into his mouth. Elsewhere he talks about busting up a human trafficking ring in Thailand and parachuting into the jungles of Central America. Morgan’s apparently been involved in some very consequential world events. He just couldn’t tell anyone until now.
“I doubt any of my fans know that I jumped into Panama [as a forward observer] with the CIA. I doubt any of my fans know that my show at the American embassy in Iraq was a front so the Agency and the military could bring in the new government,” he says. “Even the people with me when it happened didn’t know.”
It’s important to note that all of these stories were approved by the U.S. military, and although Morgan’s recollections are just that— recollections—his stories often include outside perspectives to help verify and fill in details. None of it is intended as boasting, as Morgan works hard to keep a clear head about his experience. Written in his genial, conversational style, the book shares a full-spectrum look at a life well lived—exciting, sentimental, and at times heartbreaking. Morgan doesn’t shy away from the great tragedy of his world: his son Jerry’s death in 2016. He says writing about it now is like an out-of-body experience.
“You’re outside looking in and reliving that moment, and somehow it’s a little tougher because you’re a third party to your own experience,” Morgan says. “That sounds kind of weird, but that’s the way it felt. For me, listening to those moments, is kind of like sitting there staring at Jerry’s picture. It’s just tough. But, you know, it’s part of life.”
It was that soul-shattering loss that led Morgan to write “The Father, My Son, and the Holy Ghost,” a masterstroke of therapeutic songcraft dedicated to Jerry and steeped in spiritual resilience. Released in 2019, the heart-wrenching ballad was a modern example of country’s finest storytelling tradition. And after his lump-in-your-throat performance of the song at the Grand Ole Opry, Morgan actually wondered if he was done entertaining. But instead, he opened up this new, reflective chapter. The song led to both an album titled God, Family, Country, and the memoir, and now Morgan is expanding the album with a deluxe version. Out this Veteran’s Day (November 11), the same day Morgan’s tour wraps up with his first Ryman Auditorium headlining show, the tracklist features four new songs made for the deep feeling fan, including the powerful “How You Make a Man.”
“It’s a societal story,” Morgan says of the tune, all about overcoming life’s challenges. “It’s what’s going on in our world. This song talks about how you run, you crawl, you rise, you fall, you hit your knees until you learn to stand. That’s how you make a man. This is how we become better.”
Just like the memoir, Morgan hopes it helps fans know him more fully than before and maybe inspires someone to tackle that big issue they’ve been avoiding. But looking back on his own story, the humble hitmaker says he can’t bring himself to identify as proud.
“Proud isn’t the right word as much as grateful,” Morgan says. “If you wrote down everything you’ve ever done in your life and then looked at it, for me personally, I was unable to do that without being so grateful to God for allowing me so many opportunities and so many experiences. We all need to make that list.”