You’d be mistaken if you thought Craig Morgan would start to lighten his workload when he hit 60.

While other artists may opt for a more relaxing beach getaway when the concert tour comes to a close, the country star finds himself most comfortable pushing himself beyond comfort zone. This past winter Morgan spent part of his downtime stitching himself up—literally—after a demanding daily routine of cutting trees and clearing paths in Alaska’s frigid winter conditions. For Morgan, a little blood is just a small portion of his productivity philosophy.

“In our society today, we’re not willing to accept pain,” he explains. “But if you teach yourself to embrace a certain level of pain, the reward on the other side is so much greater. You push yourself to realize that you can tolerate much more than you initially think you can.”

Morgan’s latest EP, American Soundtrack, was released on February 28. It features six songs that span themes of faith, family, resilience, and love of country. So, where did a man best recognized as one of country music’s favorite hitmakers, with songs like “Redneck Yacht Club,” “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” “International Harvester,” develop such a passion for pushing limits?

Morgan says part of it comes from his 20-year service in the U.S. Army. He’s also worked alongside the CIA as a soldier in Panama and has pursued sex traffickers in Thailand. In 2023, he re-enlisted in the Army at age 58, smashing, he says every test the military put in front of him.

“When I took the Army Combat Fitness Test, I knew there would be naysayers who thought that because I’m Craig Morgan, I’ll have an easy time,” he says. “So I was adamant about not just passing the ACFT, but I wanted to score really well, and I did.”

He says his high-energy lifestyle, whether it’s snowmobiling through Alaska or working on his Nashville farm keep him feeling decades younger than his age, which will come in handy as soon heads out on tour with Blake Shelton. Evidence of this he says when he worked with contemporary superstars Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson, on the senior country crooner’s on his 2023 remake-based EP, Enlisted. “None of them can keep up with me,” Morgan asserts. “I have high energy. People joke about it in our industry, but in general, people pick at me about my energy. I attribute it to my health habits.”

The formula for longevity post 60 is no secret for Morgan, who’s also run marathons and triathlons in the past. Constant movement is key, he says. That with solid sleep—keeps the music-making military veteran at the top of his game.

“No question, the military teaches you to push yourself beyond your limits, and that’s just a fact,” he says. “When you’re in an environment that is so stressful and physically demanding, sometimes you have no choice but to do that or quit. In that case, you don’t belong in that profession. I apply that same philosophy to everything I do in my physical life. I just don’t stop.”

Craig Morgan
Craig Morgan

 

Craig Morgan Stays Cool By Heating Up in Alaska

Through an uncanny work ethic, the singer, who first hit the charts in 2000 with the hit “Something to Write Home About,” has trained himself to remain unshaken in most situations. But for Morgan, who competed on the survival-themed reality show Beyond the Edge in 2022, the only time he battles nerves is when he sings the national anthem in uniform in front of his fellow service members.

“I do not want to let down my military, my Army, my fellow soldiers,” says Morgan, who now currently serves as a warrant officer with the Army Reserve bands at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal. “I take great pride in that song, what it stands for, and what it means. So I’m always a nervous wreck when I perform it. I don’t want to be the guy on YouTube that everyone is talking about.”

Morgan credits his toughness not only to the military but also to the time he spends in Alaska, where he and his son operate Craig Morgan’s Alaskan Off-Grid Experience around Trapper Lake, located about 120 miles north of Anchorage. This remote location, nine miles from the nearest road, is the perfect stage for Morgan to hone his mindset. No gym is needed for a workout; self-reliance is his ultimate exercise. Chopping trees for firewood and clearing paths for snowmobiles are part of his daily routine.

“It’s about self-reliance, knowing that I can take care of myself, my family, and my friends. I love educating people on that,” he explains. “Mentally, as I mentioned with the military, they teach you to push yourself beyond limitations. When you do, you create a new limit.”

However, self-reliance comes with its share of wounds—some of which are stitched up. Morgan has accumulated battle scars, including broken hands, knees, fractured tibias, torn rotator cuffs, and metal plates inserted into his body. While some might call him a masochist, he believes pain brings strength. “You must be willing to accept pain, or you will never get beyond your current level. It’s just that simple.”

When things go wrong, Morgan reacts quickly. Such as that time when his machete ricocheted off a limb from a tree he was cutting down, causing a massive gash. Morgan calmly put in a few threads even as the pain was a little uncomfortable.

“it wasn’t pleasant—I had tears in my eyes,” he admits. “I put in three stitches. The doctor said it could have used more, but it would be OK.”

Craig Morgan Making Healthy Choices in the Kitchen

Returning home to Nashville may provide a welcome reprieve from Alaska’s brutal workload, but Morgan’s job is far from complete. “I don’t have time to get bored,” he states. “We have a farm and some cattle, and there’s always something that needs to be done on the farm.”

Morgan mentions that most of the meat he consumes he harvests. A lifelong hunter, at 60, he bagged three deer and a buffalo this past season, ensuring a protein-packed freezer for months to come. His success in the outdoors also gives him bragging rights on the tour bus as well.

“I could out-hunt any one of them,” he claims. “Blake would lie and say he’s a great hunter, but he’s not a good shot—it’s hard to hunt with a beer in your hand [laughs]. [Rascal Flatts lead singer] Gary Levox is a good hunter, but he would leave the stand if it got too cold.”

When it comes to his meals, Morgan relies on fasting for most of his days. “I’ve learned that fasting has helped me in my energy as much or more than anything,” he admits. From there follows a high-protein, low-carb diet, especially on those hectic days in which he says he could burn as much as 4,000 calories.  “If my wife makes spaghetti, I’ll eat that. I’m strict, but not so strict that I won’t indulge every now and then.”

When it comes to carbs, he tries to keep his carb intake around 50 grams a day. Every now and then, he does allow for the occasional indulgence—like a couple of glasses of wine or some M&Ms. “I splurge now and then without any guilt.”

What you won’t find in his kitchen or backpack are any processed protein bars. “I don’t care what anybody says about what’s inside a protein bar,” Morgan insists. He is mindful of his sugar intake, having heard that cancer thrives on sugar. “That’s why I try to minimize it,” he explains. He also avoids most fruits and sugars. “My wife keeps telling me I need to eat more greens. I think green vegetables are extremely important as well.”

He understands his plan may not be for everyone, but Morgan’s happy to share what works for him.  One artist who’s benefitted from his advice, country sensation Jelly Roll. The singer has already lost 120 pounds and is aiming to get shredded. “He asked me what I did because he joked about my energy,” he recalls. “I told him, ‘A body in motion stays in motion. A body at rest stays at rest. So, go walk, do whatever you have to do—take care of yourself.’”

 

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Craig Morgan’s Story Is an American Soundtrack

Despite his fearless persona, Craig Morgan didn’t possess the same confidence during the early years of his music career once his Army career initially came to a close in the early 2000s. “From 2000 to 2008, I kept waiting for somebody to tell me that it wasn’t going to work and that I should go back in the Army,” he admits.

During that time, however, he released a string of hits, including “Redneck Yacht Club” and his only No. 1 song, “That’s What I Love About Sunday.” He finally felt comfort when the Grand Ole Opry made him a member in 2009. “That’s when I realized that it was probably be a forever job if I wanted it to be.”

With American Soundtrack, Morgan says he kept the theme of his six-song EP aligned with how he lives his life: “My platform has always been God, family, and country—always,” he explains. “Those are the three most important things in my life, and I always resort to those elements in my music.”

Morgan hopes that with the lessons he’s learned from music, military, and survival, he can pass on to young artists “boot camp” style. The first piece advice: Respect the time of others. “Always show up on time,” he says. “If you’re supposed to be at a radio interview at 6 a.m., get there early. If you arrive at 6:01, you’re late.” He believes that respect and punctuality are crucial in this industry.

Morgan emphasizes the importance of humility in the music business. “Arrogance is a turn-off,” he states. “There’s a difference between confidence and conceit. Maintaining humility while being confident is key to success.”

Even today, with a new album and fully healed knee, Morgan has never lost the humility that accompanied him to his first recording session. Despite the success, he’s still sometimes taken aback by fame. And he’s OK with that. “My wife and I will be walking through an airport,” he says. “And if someone’s staring at me, I always look at myself and think, ‘Is my zipper down or something?’  Then I realize, ‘Oh, that’s right. I’m Craig Morgan.’”