Fifty.
Fifty Under Exposed features (plus a handful of special editions sprinkled in). Fifty artists doing the work, taking the risks, and trusting me to help them find their audience.
It is such an honor to be a part of every single one of these stories.
Today, I’m honored more than ever to introduce you to someone really special. Derek Morris is the kind of musician I think everyone aspires to be. He has a mission, and a message, and a steadfast intention to reach anyone who will hear it. Derek’s musical journey began in earnest at 14, when he happened upon a Green Day music video playing at a friend’s house. That introduction turned into a fascination and deep appreciation for the punk scene; influenced by artists like Rancid, NoFX, and Social Distortion, he began to write and explore his own music as a means to tell his story.
Derek's songs hold up an honest, but optimistic lens to the parts of life that people often prefer to hide away. His lyrics address everything from his personal uphill battles to systematic challenges, like homelessness, that reach far and wide across society. Derek’s message is simple, that there’s always a reason to hope for more. Faith, and the role it plays in his experience, is a common theme through Derek’s songs. He is clear and confident in this message, but in a way that never feels “preachy”, judgmental, or alienating to listeners who carry different beliefs. As we move into autumn, the season of gratitude, I encourage you to give Derek Morris a listen, and consider making a place for him in your regular rotation.
Keep scrolling to check out my lightning round interview with Derek Morris. Be sure to follow along on socials (@derekmorris777 on Instagram) and tune in to Spotify. Don’t forget to save the Under Exposed playlist on Spotify to listen to my favorites from Derek Morris, and the rest of the Under Exposed lineup!
Interview
Cameron Conrad sits down with Derek Morris
What’s your dream venue, the place that will feel like you’ve “made it” once you've played there?
Honestly….. I just love playing regardless of one person or more. But it would be so cool to spread my music and uplift people in a stadium. More people to encourage live, yah know. That’s truly my heart. I’m not trying to be a rockstar. Just want to share my story and help uplift people.
If you could pick any band or artist, past or present, to tour with, who would it be?
The Ataris, Micheal Graves ( former Misfits singer) Green Day, Rancid, Social Distortion.
If you were a Disney character, who would you be?
Winnie the Pooh
What’s the craziest, cringiest thing you’ve done for the sake of your music?
Well I sold my car to make my first album. And had no car for a year. Thats pretty crazy to me. 😉
If we gave out high-school superlatives today, what would you win?
The student who was kicked out of class for just laughing all the time.
Any new music or upcoming tours we should know about? Anything brewing behind the scenes you can give a hint about?
I have a new song coming out and music video. Song is called “Souls” (hear it now on the Under Exposed playlist!) No tours planned yet, but you never know what can happen.