When Morgan Wade originally made her first full-length album Reckless, It was a satchel full of sketches torn from her own life and showcased her willingness to bear her soul in song form as she detailed the life of a girl not afraid of pushing life to the edge. That boldness also was reflected in the music and immediately connected with fans alike, leading to Morgan to her record deal with Arista Nashville and blend of roots music and country into a blend that has steadily brought Morgan more and more listeners. Now, she’s expanding that album and releasing Reckless (Deluxe Edition) on January 28, 2022.
The album ended 2021 as a featured album on nearly every major publication’s Year End Best Of 2021 lists (including ours). “I wrote to save myself,” Wade allows of her to-the-bone songs.
“It’s something that benefitted me throughout childhood. I didn’t share it with anybody, but I could be honest with myself. I didn’t have to worry about what anyone else thought... and (now) I’ve had these great big men come up to me after shows to tell me I’m saying what everybody’s thinking.
“So I figure if I keep saying the things I want to say, people are going to be thinking them, running straight into those feelings.”
Six more songs made their way onto the expanded Deluxe Edition of Reckless. Co-produced by Sadler Vaden and Paul Ebersold, the album brings about choice covers like “Suspicious Minds” and her first release, “The Night” along with “Run” and three others which help expand the stories told on Reckless.
It also sets Wade up as our lady of displaced souls. The Blue Ridge Mountain girl is willing to put her whole truth out there as an artist without flinching – and as a performer who gives it all away onstage. As she says, “Honestly, the more exposed I am, the better it makes me feel. There are a million fake people out there, and who needs more of those? Who listens to them? Or believes it? If you’re struggling, and you put it out there, people actually say, ‘I really connected with (whatever the content).’ In making other people feel less alone, somehow I’m less alone. So I give away my feelings, then I get a sense I’m not the only one.”
Courtney Puzzo
releasing expanded special editions is nothing new EMI Latin/Capitol records did the same for Selena's major label albums in 2002 for the 10th anniversary of 1992s Entre A Mi Mundo or Island Def Jam did the same with Mariah Carey's Emancipation of Mimi for Holiday season 2005 when it had sold 4 million copies in the US since it's release the Previous April certified 6x platinum by February 2006 and now eligible for 7x platinum she's also the best selling female artist of 1990s having 6 albums sell a minimum of 5 million albums in the US and 9 sell in excess of 3 million copies in the US including currently 2 diamond albums which are those selling in excess of 10 million copies in the US those being 1993s Music Box and 1995s Daydream the top selling female artists to debut after the turn of the 21st century are Taylor Swift Adele Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson respectively the two best selling albums from American Idol Alumni are Carrie Underwood's 2005 debut Some Hearts 9x Platinum and Kelly Clarkson's 2004 Sophomore Album Breakaway 6x platinum though the later certification is almost 15 years out of date so at very minimum it's eligible 7x platinum while Adele's two best selling albums 2011s 21 and 2015s 25 are eligible for certifications of 17x platinum and 12x platinum respectively and there's a few albums that are nearing 20 million copies sold in the US to join the 13 albums that have already done so 2 of which are close to sales of 40,000,000 copies each those being Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 and Michael Jackson's Thriller which celebrates its 40th anniversary later this year