When his musical career took off a couple decades back, Craig Morgan made the difficult decision to leave the military before he’d completed 20 years’ service. In late July 2023, Morgan was performing at the Grand Ole Opry when he re-enlisted in the Army Reserve, bringing his two worlds together and making a public commitment to see his unfinished business through. “The Grand Ole Opry epitomizes country music and I’ve been a soldier most of my life. It just made sense to bring these two things together,” Morgan says. “Enlisting again in the Army Reserve was a great opportunity to finish something I started many years ago and get my 20-year letter that says I served my country. ”Having previously served as a Staff Sergeant and Fire Support Specialist with the Army’s 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, Morgan brings valuable experience to the Reserve for incoming recruits. The obligations are pretty minimal, he says—one weekend out of a month and two weeks in a year—and could mean anything from doing drills to speaking engagements. “If I can do it, anybody can do it,” he says. Just as the Army has called on Morgan, he has called on some of his talented friends to contribute to his latest project. Appropriately titled Enlisted (Broken Bow Records), the six-track release offers new takes on four of the Tennessee native’s biggest hits along with two new tracks and appearances by Trace Adkins, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Gary LeVox, Blake Shelton, and Lainey Wilson. The end result highlights the enduring, evergreen quality of his singles while giving them a fresh update.
