OBHS grad Myles Morgan’s songs are earning a buzz around Nashville

OBHS grad Myles Morgan’s songs are earning a buzz around Nashville

By Fran Thompson
Myles Morgan is just two years removed from walking up the aisle at the O.B. Event Center with his fellow Orange Beach High School graduates, and he didn’t even play music professionally until the summer that followed graduation.
But the 20 year old songwriter, a sophomore at Alabama, is already a major hit on social media with songs he recorded in Nashville with a guitarist, Dominic Frost, who also plays lead guitar for Morgan Wallen’s band.
A baseball player for as long as his memory serves him, Myles did not even play music in front of an audience for the first time until his graduation summer when he fell into a job at Ginny Lane and debuted in front of more than 300 soggy patrons riding out a storm that delayed the start of a Whiskey Myers concert at The Wharf Amphitheater.
“I was kind of strumming by myself on the couch at home and thinking that I wanted to go play at a restaurant or something when my dad (Steve) said I needed to go get a summer job,’’ Myles said.
Most Pleasure Island restaurants book musicians ahead for the entire summer, but Myles squeezed into a cancellation while eating lunch at Ginny Lane two days before the gig.
“The manager said they had a cancellation on that Friday from 6 ‘til 9 and that could be my audition,’’ Myles said.
He only knew about eight songs. But, with the help of his dad, Myles put together enough chord progression to learn about 40 more cover tunes in the next two days. He killed the show. That led to more bookings at Ginny Lane and other local bistros, including the Flora-Bama and a Tuscaloosa gig at Rock N Roll Sushi that fall.
Myles musical journey took a turn towards serendipity when he went to see Larry Fleet at Iron City Brewery in Birmingham on Feb. 28 of last year. He got there early enough to snag a place up front so he could display a sign that read, “Can I sing ‘Where I Found God’ with You?’’
Myles was not really expecting Fleet to bring a stranger on stage to sing his biggest hit, but the sign did attract Fleet’s attention, and Myles ended up getting an invite to go backstage. While visiting with Fleet and his band, Myles met photographer Matt Paskert, who is also the tour photographer for Wallen.
Myles asked his new friend if he could shoot his appearance at Live At The Plaza in T-Town. Paskert said he was already booked that weekend and recommended another photographer, Alex Ayala, who then introduced Myles to producers Dalton Wixom and Clayton Collins.
In short time, May 7, 2024 to be exact (Myles’ 20th birthday), Myles recorded his first song.
There is more.
Wixom and Collins run in the same circle as Wallen and his lead guitarist. They said Frost might be available to play guitar on the song.
“They called him up and he said ‘yeah, man, I’ll do it. Absolutely.’’’
Frost nailed the guitar fills on “Nobody’s Fault But Yours” and enjoyed the experience so much that he also played on “Jon Boat or a Yacht” and “Is This Seat Taken?”, a song Myles wrote about meeting a girl at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
At this point, Frost has played lead guitar on all five of Myles’ releases, including the upcoming cover of the Bill Withers’ classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.”
Myles has also already made a connection with Post Malone (pictured below w. Myles). He met the genre-mashing superstar at a party before Malone’s Oct. 17, 2024 Wharf Amphitheater concert and then hung out with him at the Flora-Bama afterwards.
“I was talking to him about being an artist and he said ‘where can I find you,’ and pulled his phone out and looked my name up,’’ Myles said.
“He told me I looked better in the picture on the phone than I did in real life. He was already messing with me. He was a fun guy to be around. He was one of the most genuine guys I’ve ever met.’’
Myles gigged around Pleasure Island last summer and sat in at the Flora-Bama every time he was given that opportunity. He and his full band debuted in the 10:30 p.m. slot in the ‘Bama Dome to a massive spring break crowd last month.
Myles has no plans to quit his pursuit of a business degree at Alabama. But he makes the 3.5 hour trip to Nashville a couple times a month to spend a few days in the studio.
He will definitely be in Orange Beach playing at the Flora-Bama and hopefully other venues this summer with his band, which includes Gabe Moseley, Ben Davis, Ian Barrier and Jack Mills.
Jack Mills is the son of outlaw country legend, the late Wayne Mills and co-writes with Myles. Ian Barrier’s dad, Jarred Barrier, recorded a song, “Crossing Dixie,’’ with Wayne Mills. And those men played that song at the Flora-Bama before their sons were even born.
“We’re all connected through the legend, Wayne Mills,’’ Myles said. “It’s awesome that we are able to keep the torch going. It’s a full circle story.’’
Myles, who played his first Frank Brown Songwriters Fest last year, will headline a show at the Soul Kitchen in Mobile on April 12. He’ll play at Iron City Brewery again on April 19 and he will return to the Flora-Bama with his band May 3.
As his online fanbase and live concert crowds continue to grow, Myles is gaining interest from Nashville recording industry poo-bahs. But whether his future involves playing music for a living or not, he knows the place he wants to always call home.
“Ever since we moved here my senior year, this is my favorite place to be,’’ Myles said. “Wherever I am, I always want to be back in Orange Beach. That is my happy place.’’