History of Maren Morris in Timeline
Maren Morris is an accomplished American singer-songwriter celebrated for her unique blend of country, pop, and R&B influences. She has garnered significant recognition in the music industry, including a Grammy Award, an American Music Award, five Country Music Association Awards, and five Academy of Country Music Awards. Morris is a prominent figure in contemporary country music, known for her distinctive sound and impactful contributions.
April 10, 1990: Maren Morris Born
On April 10, 1990, Maren Larae Morris was born. She is an American singer-songwriter whose music is rooted in the country genre but blends elements of pop and R&B.
2005: Attended Grammy Camp and Released Debut Album
In 2005, Maren Morris attended a Grammy camp and, at the age of 15, released her debut studio album titled "Walk On".
2007: Release of Second Studio Album
In 2007, Maren Morris released her second studio album, "All That It Takes", which contained mostly self-composed tracks.
2011: Release of Third Studio Album "Live Wire"
In 2011, the Mozzi Bozzi label released Maren Morris's third studio album titled "Live Wire".
2014: Tim McGraw Records "Last Turn Home"
In 2014, Tim McGraw recorded Maren Morris's song "Last Turn Home" for his album "Sundown Heaven Town".
March 2015: Writing "My Church"
In March 2015, Maren Morris wrote the track "My Church" and decided to keep it for herself.
August 2015: Self-Release of "Maren Morris" EP
In August 2015, Maren Morris self-released her eponymous extended play, "Maren Morris", on Spotify.
September 2015: Signing with Columbia Nashville
In September 2015, Maren Morris signed with Columbia Nashville due to the success of her EP.
November 2015: Re-Release of EP and Release of Lead Single "My Church"
In November 2015, Columbia Nashville re-released Maren Morris's five-song EP, and "My Church" was issued as the project's lead single.
December 2015: Began Dating Ryan Hurd
In December 2015, Morris began dating fellow country singer-songwriter Ryan Hurd.
2015: Kelly Clarkson Records "Second Wind"
In 2015, Kelly Clarkson recorded Maren Morris's track "Second Wind" for her album "Piece by Piece".
2015: Streaming success of self-titled EP
In 2015, Maren Morris experienced streaming success with her self-titled EP, which led to her signing a publishing contract and later a recording contract to pursue a career in country music in Nashville.
June 2016: Release of "Hero" Album
In June 2016, Maren Morris's first Columbia Nashville album, "Hero", was released, reaching number one on the country albums chart.
2016: Tour with Keith Urban
In 2016, Maren Morris embarked on a tour with Keith Urban.
2016: Release of Major-Label Debut Album "Hero"
In 2016, Maren Morris released her major-label debut studio album "Hero" on Columbia Nashville. The album blended country with R&B, and its lead single "My Church" became her breakout single.
2016: Hero Album with R&B Influences
In 2016, Maren Morris' album Hero showcased a blend of country music with R&B influences.
March 2017: Release of Deluxe Edition of Hero
In March 2017, Maren Morris released a deluxe edition of her album Hero, featuring three new recordings.
July 2017: Engagement to Ryan Hurd
In July 2017, Morris and Ryan Hurd announced their engagement.
2017: Launched Heroes Fund
In 2017, Morris started the Heroes Fund and donated $70,000 to East Nashville Magnet High School's music and drama departments.
March 24, 2018: Married Ryan Hurd
On March 24, 2018, Morris married Ryan Hurd in Nashville.
October 5, 2018: Guest Appearance on Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour
On October 5, 2018, Maren Morris appeared as a special guest during Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour in Arlington, Texas, performing "The Middle" with Swift.
2018: Singles Reach Top Ten
Between 2016 and 2018, Maren Morris's singles, with the exception of "80's Mercedes", reached the top ten of the Billboard country charts.
2018: Collaboration on "The Middle"
In 2018, Maren Morris collaborated with Grey and Zedd on the song "The Middle", a track that became a top ten pop success internationally.
2018: Featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 List
In 2018, Maren Morris was featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list.
March 2019: Release of "Girl" Album
In March 2019, Maren Morris released her studio album "Girl", which topped the Billboard country albums chart.
March 2019: Formation of The Highwomen
In March 2019, it was announced that Maren Morris would be forming a group with Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby called The Highwomen.
April 2019: Live Debut of The Highwomen
In April 2019, The Highwomen made their live debut at Loretta Lynn's 87th birthday concert, performing "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels".
July 19, 2019: Release of "Redesigning Women" by The Highwomen
On July 19, 2019, The Highwomen released "Redesigning Women" as the first single from their self-titled debut album.
September 2019: Release of The Highwomen's Debut Album
In September 2019, The Highwomen's self-titled debut album was released.
2019: Release of Album "Girl"
In 2019, Maren Morris released her fifth album titled "Girl", which mixed country with various music styles and featured collaborations with different artists.
2019: Girl Incorporating R&B Styles
In 2019, Maren Morris' album Girl incorporated elements of 90s R&B.
2019: Vocal Style Praised
In 2019, critics praised Morris's vocal style, noting its versatility and sophistication across country and pop genres. Jon Caramanica described her voice as "versatile", and Chris Richards called it "the best voice of any country singer working today".
March 2020: Birth of Son
In March 2020, Morris and Ryan Hurd's son was born.
2020: CMA Awards Acceptance Speech
During her 2020 CMA Awards acceptance speech, Morris acknowledged black artists like Mickey Guyton, Linda Martell, and Brittney Spencer, recognizing their influence and contributions.
2020: "The Bones" Tops Charts
In 2020, Maren Morris's single "The Bones" topped both the Country Airplay and Country Songs charts.
April 2021: Donated to NAACP and Other Organizations
In April 2021, Morris donated $300,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Together We Rise, and Ecologi, supporting various causes.
June 4, 2021: Release of John Mayer's "Last Train Home" featuring Maren Morris
On June 4, 2021, John Mayer's single "Last Train Home", featuring Maren Morris as a guest vocalist, was released.
August 2021: Participated in Together: Feeding Nashville
In August 2021, Morris joined other country artists to raise money for Together: Feeding Nashville, addressing food insecurity and raising $450,000.
2021: Female Artist of the Year
In 2021, Maren Morris won Female Artist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards for the second consecutive year.
2021: Advocated for Equity in Country Music
In 2021, Morris advocated for equity in country music, highlighting inequalities for white and black artists and speaking out against Morgan Wallen's racial slur.
January 2022: Release of "Circles Around This Town"
In January 2022, Maren Morris's next single, "Circles Around This Town", was released.
March 2022: Release of "Humble Quest" Album
In March 2022, Maren Morris released her studio album "Humble Quest", produced by Greg Kurstin.
March 25, 2022: Release of Album "Humble Quest" and Guinness World Record
On March 25, 2022, Maren Morris released her sixth studio album, "Humble Quest", which earned her a Guinness World Record for most first-day and first-week streams for a country album by a female artist on Amazon Music.
August 2022: Responded to Transphobic Comments
In August 2022, Morris responded to perceived transphobic comments made by Jason Aldean's wife and, after being labeled a "lunatic country music person" by Tucker Carlson, sold T-shirts with the phrase to benefit GLAAD.
September 2022: Partnered with GLAAD for Spirit Day
In September 2022, Morris partnered with GLAAD to design a T-shirt in honor of Spirit Day, continuing her advocacy efforts.
September 2023: Planned Departure from Country Music
In September 2023, Morris announced her plans to leave the country music industry, citing issues of misogyny, racism, and lack of support for marginalized artists.
October 2023: Filed for Divorce
In October 2023, Morris filed for divorce from Ryan Hurd.
2023: Departure from Country Music Genre
In late 2023, Maren Morris announced her departure from the country music genre and released an EP titled "The Bridge".
January 2024: Divorce Settlement Reached
In January 2024, a divorce settlement was reached between Morris and Ryan Hurd.
June 9, 2024: Came out as Bisexual
On June 9, 2024, Morris came out as bisexual.
September 27, 2024: Soundtrack Release for "The Wild Robot"
On September 27, 2024, Maren Morris contributed two songs, "Kiss the Sky" and "Even When I'm Not," for the DreamWorks animated film "The Wild Robot", as part of the soundtrack releasing alongside the film.
2024: Recognition as Influential LGBTQ+ Artist and Top Country Artist
In 2024, Maren Morris was recognized by Out Magazine as one of the most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ artists and was included in Billboard's list of the 100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time.
