BOBBYCAST - Morgan Evans on Public Divorce, Ayahuasca Experience & Healing

Summary

The BobbyCast: Morgan Evans on Public Divorce, Ayahuasca Experience & Healing Host: Bobby Bones | Guest: Morgan Evans | Air date: March 6, 2026

---

Overview

In this deeply personal episode of The BobbyCast, Morgan Evans joins Bobby Bones for an unguarded conversation about the last few tumultuous years of his life. Evans opens up about going through a highly public divorce, his journey of healing that included an ayahuasca retreat, the process of creating his most personal record to date ("Still Town"), and what he’s learned about friendship, vulnerability, and moving on.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life After Public Divorce

• Evans' Withdrawal and Coping Mechanism

  • Morgan describes how, after his public divorce from Kelsea Ballerini, he became extremely busy intentionally:
    "At the end of 22, I was like, I want to be so busy next year that I don't have time to think about my own life." (04:25)
  • Pushed himself with constant touring and work to avoid confronting his emotions until he eventually realized the need for creative and emotional downtime.

• Impact of Public Scrutiny

  • Evans reflects on the pain of being subject to online negativity and unfair narratives:
    "I think maybe I was made out to be... an archetype for any guy that had done any woman wrong during that period of time." (33:10)
  • Shares how he developed coping strategies, like not engaging with online comments unless he felt strong enough:
    "Unless I'm ready to battle, don't go into battle. That's just reading it." (31:30, Bobby Bones)

• Finding Out About the Divorce

  • Evans learned of his divorce in a direct conversation, which left him blindsided:
    "I was not expecting that conversation, no. And maybe that was me being naive, I don't know. But I definitely wasn't and took me by surprise." (35:30)

• Handling the Fallout

  • He talks about processing grief, seeking support from friends and therapy, and the challenges of being so far away from family.

2. The Ayahuasca Retreat and Healing

• What Ayahuasca Is and Why He Tried It (06:14–12:58)

  • Evans traveled solo to a retreat in Costa Rica seeking clarity at what he called "the end of the road" emotionally.
  • Describes the ceremony:
    "You go up and you take a shot of this liquid... and then you go and lie down and see what happens." (07:09)
  • The experience was intense, not simply relaxing or recreational:
    "Very vulnerable... I would say it's probably not the best for that [escaping feelings]." (08:45)

• What He Learned

  • Evans experienced vivid, sometimes out-of-body reliving of past events, which allowed him to gain wisdom from pain:
    "It's like turning pain into wisdom and then getting on with it." (12:16)
  • The retreat was transformative but not something he'd repeat:
    "I have no desire to go do it again, really." (12:37)

• Comparison to Other Therapeutic Experiences

  • Both Bobby and Morgan discuss traditional therapy, with Bobby sharing his own experience with an intensive therapy retreat and the benefits of being pushed outside his comfort zone.

3. The Role of True Friendship & Support

• How Bobby Supported Morgan

  • Bobby shares how he reached out to Evans during a difficult period:
    "You'd be one of the people if you were like, hey, can you see if you match for a kidney? I would give you a kidney." (24:18)
  • Evans expresses immense gratitude for Bobby’s support and advice, especially on handling public controversy:
    "You need to go and say everything as loudly as you can and be as honest as you can. Or you just need to go away, don't say anything, and live your best life." (Advice paraphrased, 22:27)

• Genuine vs. Superficial Friendships

  • The divorce and its aftermath revealed who Morgan’s real friends were:
    "In a town like Nashville... you also find out who the real ones are." (21:45)

4. The Music: Healing through Creation

• Songwriting During Hard Times

  • Evans wrote "Over For You" in the heart of his despair, finding catharsis in music:
    "The way people have reacted to that song have kind of changed the way that I think about, like, how powerful music can be." (37:50)

• The Process of Making "Still Town"

  • Took years to release a new album, focusing on making a cohesive, honest body of work:
    "I wanted this next thing to be a body of work that I was proud of... and I love so much that I wanted to share with the world." (04:39)
  • Selection of songs for the album was deliberate:
    "I was really thoughtful about the songs that I chose for this record from that period... These 11 tracks, to me, they all say something important on that journey of the last three years." (39:50)

• Naming the Album

  • "Still Town" is named after his hometown, symbolizing where his recovery and new life truly began:
    "It's kind of where the story starts... it's the place that it all built from." (58:03)

5. New Love and Privacy

• Dating Lacy
  • Evans is now in a relationship (with artist Lacy), but intentionally keeps details private:
    "There is a level that's really healthy to keep to ourselves." (44:12)
  • He’s learned from past experiences to be mindful about what to share publicly versus what to protect.

6. Returning Home and Perspective

• Australian Country Music Evolution

  • Evans describes how country music is now more mainstream in Australia, referencing playing huge festivals back home.
  • Stories about Keith Urban’s influence—Morgan credits Urban with blazing a trail for Aussies in Nashville.

• Hometown Healing

  • Stepping away from Nashville and returning to his roots allowed Morgan to find perspective, reconnect with old friends, and feel grounded again:
    "Just going back to my hometown and catching up with the old mates... you realize that Nashville feels like the center of the universe... but the world's a big place." (41:11)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Grief and Growth:
  "At the end of that week, everything felt lighter for sure. It's been really helpful and I have no desire to go do it again, really." — Morgan Evans (12:37)

• On Coping with Online Hate:
  "I don't know anyone that writes negative comments... I can't imagine what kind of a space you'd have to be in to get online and want to write something about somebody like that." — Morgan Evans (34:02)

• On Friendship:
  "You'd be one of the people if you were like, hey, can you see if you match for a kidney? I would give you a kidney." — Bobby Bones (24:18)

• On Regret and Perspective:
  "I'm glad that I didn't go out and do a bunch of tell all things while I was in the midst of trying to work out how I was feeling. And I'm also really grateful for where I'm at now in life. And so it's hard to have any regrets." — Morgan Evans (41:49)

• On First Album Influence:
  "[Keith Urban] was just ripping on the guitar and it was just like this light bulb going off in my head and I thought I need to find out where that came from." — Morgan Evans (50:04)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:07] – Morgan on leaving and working nonstop after his divorce
• [06:02–12:58] – Ayahuasca retreat details and impact
• [17:02] – Bobby on intensive therapy and comparison to ayahuasca
• [22:00] – Finding out who real friends are in Nashville
• [22:09] – Morgan thanks Bobby for friendship during the hardest times
• [31:30] – Coping with online hate and separating perception from reality
• [35:19] – Morgan on how he found out about the divorce
• [37:45] – Writing music ("Over For You") during the hardest period
• [39:50] – Deliberate album creation and song selection
• [41:11] – On the necessity of leaving Nashville to gain perspective
• [43:40] – Morgan on dating Lacy and their approach to privacy
• [50:04] – The Keith Urban album that inspired Morgan's career
• [58:03] – Why the new album is called "Still Town"
• [59:57] – Australian country music’s evolution, and Morgan's homecoming festival experience
• [63:08] – Bobby and Morgan reflect on the challenge of interviewing friends
• [65:56] – Morgan on the anxiety of returning to public interviews and trusting Bobby with his story

---

Closing Thoughts

This candid, insightful episode offers a rare glimpse behind the headlines into Morgan Evans' healing journey, the role of friendship, and the creative process behind his forthcoming album "Still Town." Both host and guest approach topics with empathy, humor, and vulnerability, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the reality behind public persona, personal reinvention, and the redemptive power of music.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Guaranteed Human Everyone deserves to be connected T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Our networks are coming together bringing more T Mobile coverage all over the country. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com Switch and now T Mobile is available in the US Cellular Store in Pasco. Bigger network the combination of T Mobile and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage savings versus comparable Verizon plans plus the costs of options, benefits, plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three lines include third free line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required.

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

From Executive producer Taylor Sheridan A new era of Yellowstone begins in the new CBS Original series Marshals Tonight. Casey Dutton is back and he's teaming up with an elite unit of U.S. marshals to bring range justice to Montana. With the Yellowstone Ranch behind him and a new team at his side, Casey will balance family and duty as he faces his biggest fight yet. Lou Grimes stars in Marshalls tonight 87 Central on CBS and streaming on Paramount.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Plus support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this

[Jacob Goldstein]

is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? Business software is expensive and when you buy software from lots of different companies, it's not only expensive, it gets confusing. Slow to use, hard to integrate. Odoo Solves that because all Odoo software is connected on a single affordable platform, save money without missing out on the features you need. Odoo has no hidden costs and no limit on features or data. Odoo has over 60 apps available for any needs your business might have, all at no additional charge. Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting, all linked and talking to each other. Check out [e-mail]. that's o d o o dot com.

[Bobby Bones]

It's annoying. I'll say it.

[Morgan Evans]

Okay, thanks.

[Bobby Bones]

It is. You're a little taller than you should be, You're a little more muscular than you should be and you're just strikingly good looking sometimes it pisses me off.

[Morgan Evans]

Thank you and good night.

[Bobby Bones]

Yes, I know, I know. Hey, today on the Bobby Cast, Morgan Evans is here. You've seen the headlines, you've heard the songs. You probably watch everything unfold in real time. But today, for the first time, Morgan's actually going to talk about his side of the last few years. From a very public divorce to disappearing back home to Australia in therapy and rebuilding his life and making what might be his most personal record ever. I think it is. Now he's back with the brand new album Still Town, out March 20. A new tour and yes, a new love. Here he is, unfiltered, honest and ready to talk. It is Morgan Evans. I feel like sometimes I want to text you, but then I look and see what time it is, where you are at the time. And then it's like two in the morning because you're off in another country and I don't text you. That's just my confession to you as a friend.

[Morgan Evans]

Dude, you should always text me.

[Bobby Bones]

I don't like people texting me at 1 or 2am Even though I have the do not disturb.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Because I do wake up at night and check my phone sometimes, which is a bad habit, but I never did quite know where you are. And then you just. You left for a while.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, well, I've been in Australia since Christmas.

[Bobby Bones]

No, but you, like left, it felt like for years.

[Morgan Evans]

Oh, like left coming in. Coming in to see you at the radio station. That kind of thing. You mean?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I just, just. You were just gone? Yeah, for a while.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you move? Move away from Nashville?

[Morgan Evans]

No, no, we were on the road pretty much flat out. Like I remember. I think at the end of 22, I was like, I want to be so busy next year that I don't have time to think about my own life. And turns out the people I was working with are really good at their jobs, so we just went hard.

[Bobby Bones]

It made you busy.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, we just went hard. And then I think at the end of that run, I think it was just important to kind of take some time to, like, take stock of life and actually just sort of take time creatively to make a record. I think after the first album that I put out here, it was just, like, on the run and everything was kind of made in between. And I actually didn't put out an album from 2018 to, like, right now. And so I wanted this next thing to be a body of work that I was proud of and I love so much that I wanted to share with the world and come back and do all this kind of thing, you know?

[Bobby Bones]

Okay. I just want to get to that ayahuasca thing. Can I do that? Yeah. Can I go right to it? I'm just so curious.

[Morgan Evans]

Is that in a press release or something?

[Bobby Bones]

No.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Did we talk about it?

[Bobby Bones]

No. Oh, I just know about it.

[Morgan Evans]

Oh, okay. From Brett.

[Bobby Bones]

It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how I know why.

[Morgan Evans]

You know, I talked about it a bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm so curious.

[Morgan Evans]

I would.

[Bobby Bones]

Because I would love to do drugs. I know that's not considered, like, a regular drug. I just want to do any drug.

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

I just.

[Bobby Bones]

I just want to, like, feel free somehow. Like, the closest I get is laughing gas. And I had this tooth dentist. Yeah, I had this tooth replaced. Dude, I was in freaking heaven.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, right.

[Bobby Bones]

Like, sometimes I feel like I want to break my teeth just so I can go and get laughing gas.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. See, I've never had that. I've never done that before.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay, but did you do the. Did you do ayahuasca?

[Morgan Evans]

I did, yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And do you say do? Is that the language? Do you do ayahuasca?

[Morgan Evans]

I think so, yeah. You definitely. It's a. It's like a. Comes in a liquid form.

[Bobby Bones]

I know nothing. Talk to me like I'm five.

[Morgan Evans]

Well, I went to this place in Costa Rica, and it's. I feel like there's probably more, like, informed people to talk about exactly what it is, but basically it's a. It's a liquid that's made from the combination of a couple of plants, and the active ingredient is dmt. Have you heard about that? And so the other ingredient in there sort of makes it kind of like a slow release. And I'm sure people in the comments will correct me here. Effectively, that's kind of the. The, you know, technical description, but Then, yeah, you go along to these ceremonies. It's this, like, sort of place that's made for it. Like a retreat center or something. And, yeah. Every evening, you go to this big building, and the ceremony is held by a different sort of shaman or shah woman. I don't know if that's a term even. But, yeah, you sort of go up and you. You take a shot of this liquid.

[Bobby Bones]

You drink it.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. And then you go and lie down and see what happens.

[Bobby Bones]

That's crazy.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I have friends that have used ketamine.

[Morgan Evans]

Okay.

[Bobby Bones]

For a lot of the reasons that I think I should use ketamine. And Iowa, I want to do a ketamine ayahuasca, like, smoothie. I don't know if that's. That'll probably kill me, but I'm just always afraid when I get on something, somebody's gonna take a picture of my wiener. That is my. That's my fear. Like, how do you trust.

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

Seriously?

[Bobby Bones]

Like, it's like. Or it's like, when I had to go get my. I had ankle surgery. I was like, I'm going under. But I told my doctor I am petrified. Someone take a picture of my wiener.

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

It's not even a weird wiener.

[Bobby Bones]

I just think I'm. That it's not mess that I'm. It's just so vulnerable.

[Morgan Evans]

Right, right, right. It is very vulnerable. Yes.

[Bobby Bones]

And I'm such a control freak. But I think that's why I've always said. And this is me not joking. I. I would love to do drugs or some sort of drug to get me to do. And the best way that I can explain it is this, because I can't do that. My life, I've not been able to really master breathing deep and not being so tightly wound because of a lot of stuff. Kid trauma, adult anxiety. So whenever it was like, man, I knew you had tried ayahuasca, I was like, I didn't know, like, what that felt like, how vulnerable that felt.

[Morgan Evans]

Well, very vulnerable. I will say, the way that you just described what you're looking for, I would say it's probably not the best for that.

[Bobby Bones]

It's not the best for that.

[Morgan Evans]

No. Because you do it in a group. There's quite a few people there. At least when I was doing it. Everyone has different experiences, but there was people. I feel like I've done. You know, I've spent a decent amount of time meditating. You know, part of this, like, last few years, I would, like, try to learn how to do that. I went to this Retreat for a weekend to do that as well. And I tried just about everything. We can get into it if you want, but I did. There was one lady at this. This Ayahuasca retreat that was very tightly wound to the point where she was kind of like, this is the fifth time I've done it. Nothing's working. Nothing's working. And it is definitely one of those things that will work to a degree. But I think if you want to actually have a positive or transformative experience, you need to be able to get into a state of what will be, will be. And I found the time that I'd spent meditating really helpful in that way, because it was when I was sort of getting into that state that the actual. The medicine or the drugs or whatever would actually take effect and be helpful.

[Bobby Bones]

Drug may be the wrong thing to call it. And if that's offensive to the Ayahuasca community.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, I want to be. I want to be not offensive either. It was.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Then what's the goal when you go to a place like that if it's not to just relax? Yeah, I think, just generally speaking, why would you go to Ayahuasca?

[Morgan Evans]

Well, so one of. One of the reasons I went to this particular place is they. They do a lot of, like, throughout the days, you can go to these kind of talks or lectures, and so they'll have, like, a neuroscientist there, and they'll explain the benefits of it and what's actually happening. Or they'll have a therapist there, and they'll talk about, well, hey, what's your experience? If you have this experience, maybe, like, allow this to happen or just go with this, or, you know, do you see things?

[Bobby Bones]

And I'm not joking, but are you, like, talking to things in your mind?

[Morgan Evans]

I think everybody's experience is different, and it's a very hard thing to explain, and. And it's not something I'd recommend to anybody. I think it's definitely like, a last resort moment. And the moment that I went down there, I was in a point in my life where I was just, like, overwhelmed and confused. And it's like everything I thought was real was, like, not real. And it was just. I was kind of down to find out anything. And I think at the end of it, people are there, like, for a search for meaning or purpose or to make sense of something. A lot of the conversations I were having with people down there were around, you know, past traumas that they could go, you know, and make sense of. And I think the best way I could describe at least what happened to me during that was through kind of visual and like physical experiences. You're told this story or you have this experience of reliving things that have happened from different perspectives. Almost like an out of body thing that you get to witness happen and you can kind of just take your person out of it, look at it objectively and instead of being like, oh my God, that hurts so much, or oh my God, like I'm broken because of this, it's just like, oh no, that's what happened and, and that's why. And now you're here and like, it's good that you know those things now and you're moving on.

[Bobby Bones]

You took something from it.

[Morgan Evans]

I think the way that I said it just then sounds really simple, but I think at the end of the day that is like turning pain into wisdom and then getting on with it. And at the end of that week, everything felt lighter for sure. It's been really helpful and I have no desire to go do it again, really. It was just a and, which is another thing I think is great about it. You know, I think it still like unfolds and I kind of go back to the notes. I would go home each night and like write down my experience, you know, and. And it's been a really good reset or like kind of life navigation tool or something like that.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, I've really thought about doing the ketamine here.

[Morgan Evans]

The ketamine is a kind of. You go into a doctor and they like give you.

[Bobby Bones]

From my knowledge of it because I have friends that have done it again. You need to be at a place where it's an option to hopefully get you to a healthier place. So it's not like I don't know what it's like to do crack, but it's not like doing crack. I don't know, it's like do crack. So I don't even know what. It's not like I don't know what

[Morgan Evans]

it's like to do crack at the

[Bobby Bones]

beach, but it's not just like a recreational thing, I guess is what I should say.

[Morgan Evans]

We should get someone else in for that one.

[Bobby Bones]

I did have a show idea that I can't do it because I just wouldn't do it. But I thought it would be the greatest TV show for me to do a show called Bobby Does Drugs. And it was me trying drugs for the first time. Every drug. Because I've tried nothing ever. I've not even drank alcohol. So I like every Episode like me drinking alcohol, me smoking weed. Let's try cocaine. Episode three, number four, we're doing crack. And then just to watch and see what it does to me. Tell me that wouldn't be the. I can't do it because I'll die. But wouldn't that be, like a really interesting show?

[Morgan Evans]

If you ever do this show, please let me do it with you.

[Bobby Bones]

You wouldn't want to do it with me. You wouldn't let me do it. You would. Honestly, it's a funny idea. You would pull me aside and go, don't do this show.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

As a friend, you would go, don't do. But isn't that not a great concept?

[Morgan Evans]

I love it.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah.

[Morgan Evans]

Cracking Bobby Bones or something.

[Bobby Bones]

Episode six, Funnels crack through his butt.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. Wow.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. Then we get harder.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

You go, really Jackass doing drugs.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. Wow.

[Bobby Bones]

My friends that have tried ketamine have done it for act therapeutic reasons.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

They would go to their psychiatrist, their doctor would recommend. They would go. I have two very close friends that have done it to a house. They take an Uber to this house. They don't even drive. They are in a room. I don't know how the ketamine is done. Maybe a lozenge, I think, is what it is. And the experience that they say is so macro that they are able to see a little, like you said, themselves so much bigger than they are. But they're also going to places that are happy and sad and they can look in the mirror and still tell it's like real life. Like, not Alice in Wonderland type stuff. But at the same time, they're able to have these crazy, crazy therapeutic trips. Like, I think that would be so great. I'm just such a control freak.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, that's a. I would say that that element of yourself that you're describing may impede experiences with psychedelic drugs or. I don't know anything about ketamine. So maybe that too. Maybe ketamine, because it's. It's actually like drugs. Drugs, Right. Like chemicals.

[Bobby Bones]

We're going to say again to the cameras, we don't know what we're clinically. We don't know we're talking about. So allow us to have this conversation without being in the comments or anywhere saying we know we don't know what we're talking about. I don't. I don't know.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, okay. Well, yeah, I'm not equipped to speak on that. But I will say, of all the people that I met at this point retreat, I went by myself, which I all Think also think is important. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Flew down, stay by yourself. The whole thing.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, yeah. It was like, it was the end of the road thing, man. It was like, like I needed something. Like, I was desperately just looking for something to just like find some grounding. And I met all kinds of people there. Like the lady that I mentioned who was like, why isn't this working? Why isn't this working? And then her, actually, her partner was a surgeon and he was kind of, you know, like, she's dragged me down here, we'll see what happens. And then a couple days later, he was like, wow, this is like a really kind of amazing, transformative experience to people like me that had, you know, really, really great experiences. And then there was people that were like, this is my sixth time, I come every year or whatever, you know, so there's all kinds of people that do it and they're all looking for different things. But I think I essentially, from my experience, it was a really positive one. But again, like, I would never, I didn't come back going like, hey, man, everyone should go do this. Like, it's a very intense, not an enjoyable experience, but the outcome is enjoyable, really.

[Bobby Bones]

I did an intensive once, a five day intensive, where I felt like I was at the end of my rope, where I think it had just been so many holidays in a row that I didn't have. I don't have family really. And so all my friends then go to their families. And I dedicated all my life to work. And that only goes so far. You reach a point eventually where you're like, what am I even doing if I can't do it, have anyone to do it with. Right. And so I went to place for five, maybe six days. They take your phone. I was staying in a cabin. There was no electricity in the cabin. There was in like the food hall. And much like you're saying it sucked until it was over. And you're like, I just gained so much from that. Because I would be in therapy, a therapy part, for eight hours a day.

[Morgan Evans]

Wow.

[Bobby Bones]

So it'd be four hours a break, four hours, one on one, intense therapy where I don't. I'm not a crier. And it's not because I'm not. It's not because I'm scared of, like, lack of masculinity. It's because I'm scared of vulnerability, of weakness. Right. I think that's why I don't cry, because I've always been, I can't show people I'm weak because I'm weak. I'm a loser, and I can't. And I went to that. It just reminds me of what you're saying. It was very difficult. It was not fun, but it was really. I remember driving home going, I think I just gained more in that than I've gained in the last 15 years of, because I was at the end of my rope, too, in a different way. And so I understand that because I would not do it again, but I'm glad I did. It was a lot of yours rooted in how public your divorce, even just, like, breakup divorce was. Is that where that root was rooted in?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, it was that and the personal side of it as well.

[Bobby Bones]

It would also suck to be so far away from home, and then something so personal is also happening to you. You can't even, like, reach out and touch your close family.

[Morgan Evans]

Right, Right. Yeah, for sure. I know that was definitely hard for my. For my family, too, but, yeah, it was. It was. It was a tough time, man. And that whole. That whole time was really tough. And I think that sort of bled into the public side, which you mentioned, but also, like, the business side of things and then the personal side of things, and then it sort of got, you know, to the end of that year where I didn't have time to think about my life. I got to the end of it, and I was like, what is the purpose of all this and what's real and what's not, and what the hell am I doing in the middle of it? And I think that was kind of the. That was the end of the road kind of feeling.

[Bobby Bones]

I hated this city for a couple years whenever I had this stalker issue that was happening. Like, I wanted to leave the city, and I hated everything about it because it was like, what's even happening here? Who are my real friends? None of this matters. Like, I had that relationship with the city. I don't anymore. I'm good again.

[Morgan Evans]

Right.

[Bobby Bones]

But I hated it for a while.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you ever hate this city?

[Morgan Evans]

I don't know if I hated Nashville, but I definitely think I saw way far farther behind the curtain, if that makes sense. And I think I realized that I'd been pretty naive to maybe the. You know, how, like, in our business, there's so like, maybe more than any other business friendship and real life and business and art and all that sort of just melds into one. And so I was probably pretty naive to the boundaries on that kind of. Those kind of things. And I also think that I realized in a town like Nashville, which is maybe like, one of the things that you could hate about Nashville or whatever is, like, similar to maybe LA or New York. A lot of people come here with big dreams. They come here with dreams to do whatever it is, work in the music business or be a songwriter or singer or recording, whatever. And I think those dreams are so big that they got them out of their hometown or their country. They come here and those dreams are also big that, like, there's times where, like, a moral compass can get clouded by the big dream and the desperation that can sometimes come along with that. And so you see all these people that aren't necessarily, like, bad people, just kind of ignoring maybe the right thing to do or not being as genuine as they could be or should be or ordinarily would be. And I think that was just like, a bit of a reckoning for me. I think maybe when anyone goes through a divorce or, you know, you leave a management company or. I'm sure you've had this experience where you stop working with someone and then all of a sudden all these people, well, hey, actually, did you hear about this? You know, and so there was a lot of that going on. And I'd say the reason I didn't hate Nashville is because I think when that happens, you also find out who the real ones are. And so that was something to really kind of lean on and appreciate at that time as well. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I was going to ask if it proved to you who you're. And I don't throw the word friend around loosely, if you found out really who your friends were.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, absolutely. And I've got to say, on air, too, man, during that time, you were such a legend. For me, like, personally going through divorce was horrendous, and I had no. I had no reference for it. Like, my grandparents have been married 70 years. My parents have been married 45 years. My brother and sister are still together. None of my mates are divorced. So I was learning about that in real time, like, you know, the nitty gritty of how all that goes down. And then the public thing happened as well. And I think you reached out to me and you're like, hey, dude, if you need anything, just. Just let me know. Or maybe I reached out to you. I can't remember. Whatever way it happened, we ended up going to play pickleball one day, and you were just like, it was just so helpful to talk to someone that had been through public controversy before. And I still remember the advice you gave me. And it kept me going through that time because you said, there's Only two ways you can deal with this. You need to go and say everything as loudly as you can and be as honest as you can. Or you just need to go away, don't say anything, and live your best life. And I got that same advice from my therapist and some rock star friends and country friends, but you the first guy that gave it to me. And I. I just appreciated that so much because during that time I had like a record label and management team that were like, you need to go do a tell all interview and like. Or, like, do a podcast or like, whatever it was at the time. And so, yeah, that gave me a really good grounding. I feel like you reaching out as a mate without a vested interest. I knew you weren't trying to, like, make money from me or anything like that, and so I thank you for that, truly.

[Bobby Bones]

Well, I hope you also know that I. And this business is weird because everybody travels.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

But, like, you'd be one of the people if you were like, hey, can you see if you match for a kidney? I would give you a kidney. Like, I really would. Like, there's like seven. It's hard in this town to have other creatives that you feel like you trust, even though you don't get to see them as much because this industry is, I won't say nomadic because we don't move, but we're gone a lot. That if I don't see you for nine months and you came back and you're like, hey, yeah, whatever you need. Yeah, I got like seven people on this town. You're one of them.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And going through anything, and I've had it happen to me. Anything. Extremely public, where you are highly criticized, especially the first couple of times. It just feels. It's so foreign and it's foreignly hurtful. All you see and feel is all the negative.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And that's. I didn't feel bad for you. I empathize with you because I remember. I know. I remember reaching out and I never tell anybody, hey, if you need anybody, hit me up. And don't mean it because I don't say that very often.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

But I'm like, I can shed some advice based on the poor experiences that I've had.

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

We built a little pickleball net out there on that court. We played. It was awesome. We went to Kansas, Iowa, to a basketball game in the ice and snow. And it was just like, there are times where you really need community. There are times where I really needed community. And I hated to See that for you. I talk about perspective a lot, and you only get perspective if you've been through some crap. Like, perspective is never free.

[Morgan Evans]

No.

[Bobby Bones]

Nobody gets to have the benefit of a ton of perspective unless they've actually been through it. I think now you're back with a lot of perspective.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. That is 100% true. 100% true. It's funny, you see everything a little more differently now, but. Yeah, that meant a lot, man. I don't want to. Don't want to let that slide.

[Bobby Bones]

So it didn't slide, and I know it.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And I don't even mind sharing this. There's a text message that means a lot to me that I get to share now with people, because sometimes I'll just say, what happened. I was talking to Granger Smith on a podcast, and I know Granger, known Granger for a long time, and his kid tragically died in a pole accident. And so Granger and I were talking about it, and Granger had sat with this person who had a similar thing. And I was like. I told Granger, I said, I can. I don't know how you did that. You sit there for hours and you listen to this person. I said, I don't know that I'm that good of a person to be. And you messaged me. You're like, dude, I was listening to that. Like, you are that good a person because you did that with me. And, like, I was like, dang. Like, that made me actually like myself a little bit when I struggle with liking myself a little bit. So I appreciate that. But I know you meant it, and I hope you know that I meant. Well, I mean, not even meant. It's not past tense. Like, cat's out of the bag. We love each other. Now, this is not just a normal interview, but, like, yeah, I hated to see that for you, and I got really defensive for you. You didn't ask me to at all.

[Morgan Evans]

No.

[Bobby Bones]

That was hard. That was hard. It was really hard for you.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. And let's take a quick pause for

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

a message from our sponsor from executive producer Taylor Sheridan. A new era of Yellowstone begins in the new CBS original series Marshals. Tonight. Casey Dutton is back, and he's teaming up with an elite unit of U.S. marshals to bring range justice to Montana. With the Yellowstone ranch behind him and a new team at his side, Casey will balance family and duty as he faces his biggest fight yet. Lou Grimes stars in Marshalls tonight, 8, 7 Central on CBS and streaming on Paramount.

[Knix Advertiser]

For period protection, you can put on and Forget about nothing Beats Nyx Leak Proof Underwear North America's number one leak proof underwear brand. Let's face it, life can be unpredictable, but your leak proof underwear shouldn't be. That's why millions of people choose NYX for periods, for light leaks, for everyday freshness. Nick's undies are super comfy, super absorbent and made to handle whatever your day throws at you. Day two of your period covered your daily run. No problem. That big sneeze?

[Podcast Announcer]

You know the one?

[Knix Advertiser]

Yep, we've got you. And with styles like bikinis, boy shorts, thongs and high rise plus sizes from extra small to 4XL, NYX makes it easy to find your perfect fit. Say goodbye to stress and leaks and say hello to undies that work just as hard as you do, no matter the leak. Find the style and level of protection you [e-mail] and use code flow15 for 15% off. That's knix.com code flow15 for 15% off nix for your leaks for your life

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this

[Jacob Goldstein]

is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable Way you can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out odoo@o d o o dot com. That's o d o o dot com.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

And we're back on the Bobby cast.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm glad you're back.

[Morgan Evans]

Me too.

[Bobby Bones]

You made music about it.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, yeah, like.

[Bobby Bones]

But you have decisions to make. Like, what are you going to put in the music? Because you just. I'm going to. This is my opinion you had. That you had things unfairly said about you. You're not saying this. I'm saying this. In my opinion, you have things unfairly said about you.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Piss me off.

[Morgan Evans]

It pissed me off.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm sure. Yeah, I'm sure it did.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. It's a whole. You go through all the stages of grief with her, right? Like, oh, my God. And then you kind of get angry and like, whatever. And then, I don't know, like, we probably talked about this that day, but you know that that day was more about, like, your experience of how to best navigate personally, you know, making decisions. But dealing with an online kind of. That kind of online vitriol is almost a skill you have to learn too, or, I don't know, some techniques you have to learn for that. What have you found that's the most. The most helpful?

[Bobby Bones]

So it never doesn't hurt, but if I'm ever in a bad place or a mentally slightly unwell place, it hurts way worse. So I stay out of that area in times where I know that if for some reason there's some vulnerability in me, for whatever reason, something didn't go right at home, at work, maybe I didn't get enough sleep. I think my education in that is, unless I'm ready to battle, don't go into battle. And by battling, that's just reading it. That's just going into it. And with me, another thing is I always feel like everybody hates me. If I spend any time online or in DMs or just generally, I feel like everybody hates me. But I have to use the rational part of my brain to know that's not true. So I think I've developed that skill to go, that can't be true. Realistically, let's look at data. Because I always feel like I'm hated by everybody.

[Morgan Evans]

It's funny how. It's funny how you can have ten or a thousand or two thousand comments and then like 1% of them would be negative. And that, like, you almost like look for it or something. Like you ignore the nine. The nine positives.

[Bobby Bones]

How did you deal with things being said about you that you didn't feel were fair.

[Morgan Evans]

I mean, like I said, there's some stages of it. Like, I didn't come to this realization quickly or immediately, but in my case, it didn't feel like it necessarily had a lot to do with me.

[Bobby Bones]

But it was presented as it was exactly you.

[Morgan Evans]

It was. Yeah. And I think. I think maybe I was presented or made out to be or became an archetype for any guy that had done any woman wrong during that period of time. And like, some of the stuff was just like, what is this? That didn't even make sense. I can't think of anything off the top of my head right now, but I'd read stuff like what? Like what are you even talking about? You know, and like, you say it doesn't not hurt. But I found that the sooner I could catch myself before I felt the hurt, like I could read it. And then maybe sometimes like you say, like, if you jet lagged or something like that, you're more susceptible to it. But I don't know anyone that writes negative comments.

[Bobby Bones]

I don't either.

[Morgan Evans]

I've never. I can't imagine you doing it. I've never done it. And I can't imagine what kind of a space you'd have to be in to get online and want to write something about somebody like that. And so I guess the thought process kind of started there. And then every now and then I would see one, like, especially if it was real vicious or something, you know, and then I'd click on the whoever said it, you know, and just have a look and just be like, oh, yeah, it's okay. You know, that looks like somebody going through a tough time.

[Bobby Bones]

When the divorce was finalized, how did

[Morgan Evans]

that feel when it was finalized? Ah, dude, it was like, pretty. It was pretty surreal. Hey, like, it all happened super quick.

[Bobby Bones]

What do you mean?

[Morgan Evans]

I mean, from finding out that, like, that was what Kelsey wanted to do to like getting a lawyer and having a prenup and having three calls or four calls or something with the lawyer and signing the documents in the parking lot of the Ryman in the rain to like going home, you know, like, that all happened in three and a half, four months or something like that.

[Bobby Bones]

How did you find out she wanted a divorce?

[Morgan Evans]

She told me.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, Sit down, let's have a talk.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Were you expecting that conversation?

[Morgan Evans]

I was not expecting that conversation, no. And maybe that was me being naive, I don't know. But I definitely wasn't and took me by surprise. But, yeah, that whole time is such a blur. Hey. Like, it almost feels like somebody else. And just from where I'm sitting now, like, I just look back and I'm like, oh, my God. Like, it's just confused guy, you know? And I think even when I look back at. Like there was an interview that I did with you on when over for you came out, and I look back at that guy doing that interview. Sometimes it pops up on whatever social media and I just look like I'm just like, sad, trying to make sense of where I'm at, you know? And that was. That was what that period was. I don't know that I should have been doing interviews at that point, if I'm being honest. When I look at that guy, I'm like, oh, my God. Like, you. You were not like, hitting me with hardball questions or anything. And I was just there, kind of just like, really sad. So, yeah, it was just a kind of a whirlwind, life changing moment.

[Bobby Bones]

What do you tell your parents after she says, you want to get a divorce? You just call them, hey, guys. This is what's happening.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

What did they say?

[Morgan Evans]

I think they were kind of confused too, because they'd been. They'd been there at the house with us. Like, I may confuse, like, timing, but within like three months before that. And so they were kind of confused too. And like I said, they've been married for 45 years. They've been together since like 16 and 14 or something. So don't really know much about breaking up and stuff like that. But yeah, I mean, super concerned for me and obviously, like, wanting to make sure that I was okay. I think that was the general, general sentiment.

[Bobby Bones]

Did you write any music in the heart of your despair?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, some.

[Bobby Bones]

Was it good?

[Morgan Evans]

Well, I say some. So there was like four months there where I didn't really write. But for the song over for you, that was the only song that I wrote during that period. And then.

[Bobby Bones]

Which was a great song by the way you came out and played it at our show that night. We set up some keys. Oh, yeah, you came out and.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, thank you. I love that song. And. And the way people have reacted to that song have kind of changed the way that I think about, like, how powerful music can be in a lot of ways. But yeah, I definitely wrote a lot of songs during that time about it or just about how I was feeling really. And a lot of that was like, cathartic. And a lot of that was just like, trying to express things that I didn't Know how to express.

[Bobby Bones]

Was any ever good, though?

[Morgan Evans]

Man, I have a hard time thinking real sad songs are good.

[Bobby Bones]

See, I only think sad songs are good. That's the difference.

[Morgan Evans]

It's funny. Like, it's funny you say that. I don't think that about other people's sad songs. Cause I think to me it's so easy. Like, we could take any object in here and you and I could write a sad song about it at a higher level than a happy song. I think if we had like 20 minutes to write it. You know what I mean by that? And so I think as a songwriter, I've always had that in my mind of, like, it seems like the easy way out, unless it's a really real thing. Like, over for your is a really real feeling for me. And the song Things that We Drink to was. You know, my longtime manager passed suddenly, and I wrote that on the day of his memorial service. And so I do have these sad songs that mean a lot. But generally on a normal day when I'm trying to express something, I'm trying to find the positive in it or look for at least a positive way to look at it, if that makes

[Bobby Bones]

sense with this new music. And you wrote a lot about your last few years, right?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Because of how you were, I feel, unfairly written about. Did you treat that a little more precious about what you were saying outwardly because you wanted it to represent the actual truth?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, I was really thoughtful about the songs that I chose for this record from that period of time. You know, obviously wrote more than 11 songs in the last three years. But these 11 tracks, to me, they all say something important on that journey of the last three years. So, you know, that was starting back in my hometown. Post wild Ayahuasca trip time. And yeah, all the way through the kind of stages of it. And then, you know, finding the ground again and then, you know, building from there.

[Bobby Bones]

Last question about that, because I got a lot of other stuff to talk about.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Because you're just so annoyingly, strikingly good looking. It's just. It's so annoying. And I don't think people know that until they, like, see you in person. It's annoying. I'll say it.

[Morgan Evans]

Okay, thanks.

[Bobby Bones]

It is. You're a little taller than you should be. You're a little more muscular than you should be, and you're just strikingly good looking. And sometimes it pisses me off.

[Morgan Evans]

Thank you and good night.

[Bobby Bones]

Yes, I know, I know. Final question, though, about that chapter. What would you. Now, what advice would you give you back then? Let's say when you and I were together, right when it was happening. Yeah, you've been through it. What advice would you give you back then?

[Morgan Evans]

Oh man, It's so funny because I feel like you gave me the advice and you know, other people gave me advice too. Like this is going to be a time right now that you look back on and you're really grateful for. And at the time it just seems impossible, you know, from like even every micro step of it. I remember just Nashville at that time. Even after like hanging with you and like a couple other mates and like actually, you know, figuring out who like the real genuine people in my life were was like. It was like the sky was falling or like the walls are caving in. Like this town was just everywhere I went. Are you okay? Like I saw blah blah blah or red blah blah bl. Like just going back to my hometown and like just catching up with the old mates. Like go to the pub. You alright, mate? And I think so. Cool. Anyway, did you see the night's game on the weekend? And they just get on with it, you know, and you realize that Nashville feels like the center of the universe in a lot of the ways. You know, in the country music world it is. But the world's a big place, you know, and where I was sitting in it, I just needed to get out of that for a second. And starting there, like the record starts there. I think the perspective that you get that maybe sometimes you can only get with time and experience of life. And I'm sure it always takes longer than you want it to those things ring true. I'm glad that I didn't go out and do a bunch of tell all things while I was in the midst of trying to work out how I was feeling. And I'm also really grateful for where I'm at now in life. And so it's hard to have any regrets.

[Bobby Bones]

So anyway, you're really good looking when you're. When you get single again. Where do you get. Do you go to Australia? Like, what's the deal?

[Morgan Evans]

Well, we were on tour. We were on tour that whole time. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, that's tough.

[Morgan Evans]

And yeah, it wasn't really on the forefront of my priority list to get back into it, you know, so that took some time.

[Bobby Bones]

I texted you because I knew you were dating Lacey. I know Lacey from a version of both of our past lives. We didn't date or anything. We worked together, but I was like, you dating Lacy? You were like, why do you ask? And I said, because Lacy's awesome.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, she is awesome.

[Bobby Bones]

That's super cool. So when did you guys meet? How'd you meet?

[Morgan Evans]

It's not really, like, a crazy meeting story. We kind of knew each other, like, doing radio shows and festivals and stuff like that, but a couple years, we just kind of, I don't know, connected on that level and. And enjoyed each other's company, and.

[Bobby Bones]

That's too vague of an answer. I won't accept that. I. Where did you, like, talk to her and go, hey, we should go on a date. Give me some story.

[Morgan Evans]

I have learned from my experience with my previous relationship and previous life that there is a level of detail that I think is healthy to share, and then there's a level that's, like, really healthy to keep.

[Bobby Bones]

I completely agree. Unless you're talking to your friend and he wants some nugget.

[Morgan Evans]

No, look, Lacy's a legend. Like, she's a proper legend. And she's actually really private, too. She doesn't do any press or interviews or anything like that. And we just put this song out together, Two Broken Hearts, and we filmed a lot of content for it. Like, a lot of content of us singing the song together or doing life together. And, you know, that was filmed by people we work with. And then we would send that to, you know, either we would cut it up or someone. A lady that works with Virgin, who I'm signed with now, would cut it up and she would send it to. She's like, oh, hey. This little moment in between takes is like. It seems really cute. We should share that with the song I've heard or something, and. And Lacey and I would look at it and we would both kind of decide, ah, that's a little bit too inside. You know, that's too much of us to share at this point. And so we've been really intentional about sharing what we want to share and also, like, keeping what we want to keep to ourselves, too.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, that's great. Where'd you go on your first date? Can you give me something? Like, where. Like, where do you take her on your first date?

[Morgan Evans]

Oh, man. I don't want to.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm not gonna stop. I don't want to get into it, but, you know. Okay, you could.

[Morgan Evans]

I know you'll keep going. I know you'll keep going, but I'm just gonna. I'm gonna keep pushing back. I really. I really care about her, and. And I'm really grateful for where we're at right now, too. And I just don't wanna. I Don't wan. Where'd you go on your first date with your wife?

[Bobby Bones]

We like to keep things private. Yeah, two can play this game. How long have you guys officially been together?

[Morgan Evans]

Two years. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

You live together?

[Morgan Evans]

We do now. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. We were just in Australia together too.

[Bobby Bones]

Uh huh.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

The Bobby cast.

[Morgan Evans]

We'll be right back.

[Taylor Sheridan (Executive Producer)]

From executive producer Taylor Sheridan, a new era of Yellowstone begins in the new CBS original series Marshals. Tonight, Casey Dutton is back and he's teaming up with an elite unit of U.S. marshals to bring range justice to Montana. With the Yellowstone ranch behind him and a new team at his side, Casey will balance family and duty as he faces his biggest fight yet. Lou Grimes stars In Marshalls tonight, 87 Central on CBS and streaming on Paramount.

[Knix Advertiser]

For period protection, you can put on and forget about nothing beats Nick's leak proof underwear. North America's number one leak proof underwear brand. Let's face it, life can be unpredictable. But your leak proof underwear shouldn't be. That's why millions of people choose NYX for periods, for light leaks, for everyday freshness. Nick's undies are super comfy, super absorbent and made to handle whatever your day throws at you. Day two of your period covered your daily run, no problem. That big sneeze?

[Podcast Announcer]

You know the one?

[Knix Advertiser]

Yup. We've got you. And with styles like bikinis, boy shorts, thongs and high rise plus sizes from extra small to 4XL, NYX makes it easy to find your perfect fit. Say goodbye to stress and leaks and say hello to undies that work just as hard as you do no matter the leak. Find the style and level of protection you [e-mail] and use code flow15 for 15% off. That's kn Ix.com code flow15 for 15% off. Nix for your leaks for your life

[Public Investing Advertiser]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It also it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this

[Jacob Goldstein]

is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o dot com.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

This is the Bobby Cast.

[Bobby Bones]

What album do you have here?

[Public Investing Advertiser]

This is hold it up for the camera, please.

[Bobby Bones]

Okay, so a guest come in and they bring an album that means a lot to them and they tell us the reason why and it goes into the ultimate collection. So what do you have there?

[Morgan Evans]

This is the first Keith Urban record that I ever owned and I got this. My mom dragged me along to this gig in my hometown at the Newcastle Workers Club because my my grandma, her mom was sick and so I got dragged along this gig and turns out this guy was playing and when I saw him come out on stage, he was like all the old rock and roll that I grew up on, all the old country music I grew up on all put together and he was just ripping on the guitar and it was just like this light bulb going off in my head and I thought I need to find out where that came from. And that Christmas my mum gave me this album on CD and I wore this thing out. And I think I read the back about a million times and saw kept seeing Nashville, Tennessee and I think this record, although I think maybe Golden Road might be my favorite Keith Urban record, this is the first one that pointed me towards him and Nashville and probably led me down this path that has led me to sitting across from you here all these years later. And I still love this record actually. And yeah, it's the one I would like to we donating it to the collection.

[Bobby Bones]

You're donating to the collection?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I appreciate that. Isn't it funny how music if you hear certain songs. I read this book long time ago called I'm okay, you're okay, and it talks about the brain and how there's certain things. It could be a smell. Smell and music are probably the two biggest ones. That when you smell something or you hear a song, it triggers a part of your brain that even for just a split second, puts you back into that place where you were. And as you're telling that story about being that kid, I can imagine that when a song fires off from there, you probably, for a second, feel what it feels like to be that kid again.

[Morgan Evans]

Oh, dude. Blacktop ends. When he played that at the whatever awards show that was with Brothers Osborne the other day, it was just like. Like, time portal. So good.

[Bobby Bones]

Have you got to tell him that

[Morgan Evans]

I don't know that I've gone into gushy detail with him? No, but I think he knows I'm a big, big fan, and he's done a lot for me, especially as an Aussie man. Like, he's like. When I was out doing my first, you know, rounds at all the radio stations, they were like, oh, you're from Australia. As opposed to, like. I'm sure he was like, country music from Australia? That doesn't make sense, you know, but he kind of made it made sense. And so, you know, being able to come in after that. Yeah, it was like a door already kind of, you know, nudged open a little bit.

[Bobby Bones]

I love Keith and the. I was in Australia once, and it was Christmas time, and I didn't have anywhere to go for Christmas. It was one of those times where I was like, okay. And I have a friend named Nikita who is from Australia, and she was playing with me a little bit, and she was like, you can come back and have Christmas with my family. And wasn't romantic at all. And I was like, I've never been to Australia. I'll go. So I didn't. I always feel like I'm intruding. So I. I didn't stay at her house with them, even though they had a room. I stayed in a hotel nearby. And it was crazy because Christmas was in the summer in Australia.

[Morgan Evans]

How good is an Aussie Christmas in the summer?

[Bobby Bones]

It's crazy, man. It was, like, hot. They were prawns. You guys Prawns?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. There were, like, people eating prawns for Christmas. And so that whole thing was happening. And I had tweeted something, and Keith saw my tweet because I think I walked up on that bridge. There's the stairs. You go up on the bridge. What's that big bridge in Sydney?

[Morgan Evans]

Sydney Hubbard Bridge.

[Bobby Bones]

Of course it is. Yeah. Yeah. So I go up on top of that.

[Morgan Evans]

Oh, you climbed the bridge to the top. That's cool, isn't it?

[Bobby Bones]

It's awesome. I hate heights, but it's awesome too.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

And the wind's blowing so you feel like you're going to die and stuff. And so I'm up there, I took a picture of that, I posted it and Keith texted me and he's like, are you in Australia? I was like, yeah. He was like, we are to come over to because they happen to be back home for Christmas. So I went over to his and him and Nicole together at the time. Went over to their like condo in Australia. It was like a two layer and there were some Australian famous people there. I didn't know a single one of them because they were all famous in Australia.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

A bunch of people walking around going, am I? You know, whatever. And they were. Everybody was so nice.

[Morgan Evans]

Do you remember any of the.

[Bobby Bones]

None. But they were prominent.

[Morgan Evans]

Okay. Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

That's all I know is they were. Well, obviously they were at Keith and Nicole's house too.

[Morgan Evans]

Right.

[Bobby Bones]

But Keith would introduce me. Like this is somebody.

[Morgan Evans]

He's does this.

[Bobby Bones]

And I just remember thinking, man, like I'm right in the middle of Australian celebrity culture and I don't really. I don't understand it enough to respect it in the same way that I think of like if like I did Bear Girls show once and he was talking about he'll have super famous people and really not know who they are. And they're massive in their area. But he's taking some like K pop artist out and has no IDEA they have 10 billion fans with him. But Keith's awesome. Like, I love Keith Urban and I love Australia. I don't know, I just want to say that because I liked your story.

[Morgan Evans]

I've been around him a few times and he's always been like complete gentleman. I would love to hang with him properly someday. But yeah, his music's done. His music's done enough.

[Bobby Bones]

I could probably make that happen.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Give me a story. But let's see. I make that. I'm just kidding. She has really great music. Like I like her anyway because we work together in a capacity for a while.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

But her, her. What she's doing now. And I hope you're okay me mentioning this or talking about this. It's. It's distinct and it's such. It's so. It's quality. It's so different and it's high quality stuff and so. And I really like it. Like I'm a fan of the person that she's turned into.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

Can I say that I full heartedly agree.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. There you go.

[Bobby Bones]

All right.

[Morgan Evans]

She's awesome, mate. And she's one of those artists too, that as you know, there's people in this town that like, come here and work really hard and there's other people that come here and they've just got a gift. And when she opens her mouth to sing, it is just a gift. And I'm so happy for her and the music she's making. And I showed her that text you sent me too, about digging a record and stuff and she really appreciated that. So.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, that's cool. No more. I'm not gonna ask anything else. Realize you're gonna lock up on me over here. Sorry, man.

[Morgan Evans]

I'll be to it. You gotta learn something from what you go through, don't you?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah. Unless a chance, friend.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

You know.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. Well, hey, look, let's go pay pickleball

[Bobby Bones]

sometime, then you give them a nugget. Are you. Are you touring this record in the States at all? Because I saw a bunch of like you're going. I feel like you're getting so many flyer miles going back to Australia, New Zealand.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, we're doing Australia, New Zealand in May and June for the album tour, Steel Town tour. And then we're going to do the States later in the year. Which if I tell you dates, they'll probably change. So when they're confirmed or. Well, you know.

[Bobby Bones]

Are you happy?

[Morgan Evans]

Dude, life's good. Yeah. Like I said, it's like she's been a roller coaster or a ride or a haunted house maybe sometimes. But yeah, it's good. It's good to be alive right now. It's good to have an Australian summer and it's good to be back here with the record that I feel really proud about and the story to tell.

[Bobby Bones]

How do you pick 11 songs? Cause like you said, you've written so many more. What's that process like?

[Morgan Evans]

It's kind of twofold in the reasoning for me as a listener. I feel as albums have got longer, it's almost intimidating or something just to start it. Does that make sense to you? Like you probably get hit with music every day anyway. But I wanted to have a concise record. 11, 12 songs.

[Bobby Bones]

And how many you think you wrote though, that you considered 50, maybe?

[Morgan Evans]

That I considered. There was probably more that I wrote, but like 50 that had purpose. You know, but I also didn't want any double ups. Like, I didn't want any. Well, that song kind of already does that. Pick. Pick the winner, you know, or the one that feels the most authentic. And that's how it kind of got whittled down.

[Bobby Bones]

Why'd you name it after your hometown?

[Morgan Evans]

I named it after my hometown because it's kind of where the story starts. It's kind of where I felt like whatever this building of the next phase of my life started going home that Christmas and having that experience with the. With the old mates and old places and family, and that's the place that it all built from. It's also kind of unique too, I think, for an Australian to be singing about place like that. Like, there's some legends that have done it really well in Australia, but there's only a handful in. And one of the things I love about America and Americans is the pride of place that they have, especially in country music. And like Texas is like the glowing example of pride of place. And so to be able to have a song and articulate, you know, a love for a hometown like Steeltown. And there's another song on the record called Land I Love, which is about Australia as a whole, which we have a fellow named William Barton playing on. He's a First Nations Australian, like one of the world's foremost didgeridoo players. And he sang and beatboxed and chanted and played didgeridoo on this record. And those two songs particularly, I feel like ground the record in a way that was really important and special to me. And so that's where the name came from.

[Bobby Bones]

I remember why I was bringing up Keith Urban story, because when I was with him, he was talking about country music in Australia. And he said that for a lot of his life, country music in Australia was wildly traditional. And if you wanted to hear country music, it would be like on what the AM band, like what we consider like AM here. There weren't like big mass stations that were just playing country music. They kind of had to cross over and get played on a pop station in Australia. Has that shifted at all still? Or do they have modern, ish country music stations in Sydney or in Australia?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, so that's shifting just now. Hey, like it's kind of, you know, as. As Keith, I'm sure when his stuff was like really kind of exploding, you know, with this record and the subsequent ones. Yeah, it just stayed super traditional down there and for that reason stayed really niche. Like it was kind of. You had to Go to this festival in Tamworth, which is kind of the. They'd have shows everywhere and was the kind of big moment for country music. And now I feel like since I moved here 11 years ago, every time I go back, they love it more and more. And I remember like, Sam Hunt had that song Body Like a Back Road. And I remember I heard that on pop radio somewhere. And then I think the next time I went back, I saw like this guy riding a Harley in Bondi and he was like blaring Florida Georgia Line, like, as he drove through. And I was like, things are changing around here to the point now where I think country might be the biggest touring genre in Australia right now. Like, it's just exploded and. And radio's responded and obviously people are finding it on streaming and the Internet and all that kind of thing. And it's quite amazing to see. To the point where in my hometown on the weekend where you would never have found country music or you'd have to go to one of like two or three little niche places on the outside of town to play country music. We played a Festival to like 12 or 13,000 people with Lainey Wilson on Saturday night. And it was just like in my hometown to be there playing Steeltown for the first time. Laney's there. There was a couple other big acts too, like Flatland Cavalry was there and Kaitlin Butts. And it's just like, this is. I don't know, it's happening, you know, it's exciting.

[Bobby Bones]

Did any of your stuff get played on pop radio there?

[Morgan Evans]

It did, yeah. Yeah, it was. It was part of the. I guess maybe around that time with the body like a Back Road and the. And whatever the flat. It was the Florida George line song meant to be, I think. And then I think my song came out after those. And I think the programmers were like, well, if the other stuff worked, maybe this will work too. And. And they did. And thankfully it did. And the song Day Drunk ended up becoming my biggest song down there, which is. Which is hilarious. It was the biggest song for a long time. So, yeah, it was just, I guess, good timing, maybe the right music at the right time. But it was really. It was a really cool thing to feel having left there to try to pursue this music that I didn't find anywhere around me to then be able to go home and then, you know, share it with people in the places that I kind of grew up in.

[Bobby Bones]

When did you get back into town?

[Morgan Evans]

Like 48 hours ago or something?

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, man, you did a Great job. Because you've showed no jet lag or really none.

[Morgan Evans]

Every time I've looked up, I'm like, what is that word that I know?

[Bobby Bones]

Because I know you've been gone and I haven't saw you social media. And I was like, man, he's gonna be burnt on one end. Yeah, yeah, you killed it.

[Morgan Evans]

Well, thanks, man.

[Bobby Bones]

There's no exhaustion.

[Morgan Evans]

I appreciate the. Come by every week, friendly space. And congrats to you, man. It's. It's exciting to see what you're doing. Are you.

[Bobby Bones]

Congratulations on the. You congratulate me on my room?

[Morgan Evans]

Well, you're on the. On Netflix now. You're on the radio.

[Bobby Bones]

It's all happening on your wall.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, you got this sign that I thought you might have stolen, but no, it's a. It's a replica.

[Bobby Bones]

The one from my hometown. That is exactly that. It has bullet holes in it.

[Morgan Evans]

Oh, shit. How many?

[Bobby Bones]

Oh, it's probably more now, but there's probably like five or six.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, but that's like a country thing to do on the weekend, isn't it? It's not a personal attack, Right?

[Bobby Bones]

You guys don't have guns though, there, right? Like for us, yes, everybody had guns all the time.

[Morgan Evans]

Right. But Australia, I mean, there's guns there for sure, but you have to.

[Bobby Bones]

But they're not as prevalent, right?

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, you have to go through, like,

[Bobby Bones]

we had them at school.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, that's not. That's not really a thing.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, like, we had them in our cars or trucks and back racks at school where you could see them.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I'm not bragging or saying that's bad.

[Morgan Evans]

No, it's just factual.

[Bobby Bones]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Morgan Evans]

No, I didn't see guns at all growing up, really. My dad grew up out in the country and he had, I think, a couple of hunting rifles, like a.22 and something else. And I remember the scope being around the house when I was a kid, but they sold just the scope. Yeah, they got rid of them before I was born or maybe just after I was born. When the Port Arthur massacre happened. Yeah, I don't know the exact timeline of that, but they had them and then they got rid of them. And. Yeah, the gun laws are pretty tough down there.

[Bobby Bones]

Well, look, we've done an hour. You feel good about this?

[Morgan Evans]

I think so.

[Bobby Bones]

Anything else you want to say? It's hard. I'm going to say something here while you say that. It's hard for me to interview a friend. It's harder. It's the absolute hardest thing to Do. Because I know too much.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah. Well, yes. And we would have a conversation off

[Bobby Bones]

air that would be, I know too much. So then I don't want to put you in a place that makes you uncomfortable. But then I'm going, well, what does he really want to say? And I don't want to. So. I hate interviewing friends.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

I do it because I like my friends. But it's the hardest thing for me to do is to interview somebody that I know a lot about and care a lot about.

[Morgan Evans]

Yeah.

[Bobby Bones]

So.

[Morgan Evans]

Well, I appreciate you saying that. Let me say this, too. So I've been away from this kind of press, media, any sort of interviews, and this is kind of the first one I've done about the record. And so I'm kind of not giving the most succinct planned answers or whatever. But now there's something about doing press that is so much more intimidating because it's almost like I see stuff and stuff gets clipped out of context and then blown up for the wrong reasons and stuff like that. So I. I had a level of kind of, I guess, anxiety coming into this, which had nothing to do with you or this space is just more. I want to say something today that it's gonna.

[Bobby Bones]

Everybody's looking for the best clip to post.

[Jacob Goldstein]

Yeah.

[Morgan Evans]

And I just. I guess I know that's gonna happen, but. And I've never really talked about any of this stuff before, but I. I appreciate the chance to. To do this with you, man. So. So thank you and

[Jacob Goldstein]

good night.

[Bobby Bones]

Fair enough. Guys. Record, March 20th. I'm going from memory.

[Morgan Evans]

You got a good memory. Yeah. Kicking ass.

[Bobby Bones]

Boom. March 20th. I hope people stream the crap out of it. I hope they go to all your shows. And whenever you announce the American part of it, we'll be sure to share that on the radio show. On all this. I love you. I'm glad you were here, and great job not seeming tired. Like, I think that's. That's the whole thing. Great job. Because not for a minute did your eyes look dark.

[Morgan Evans]

You're the master of that.

[Bobby Bones]

Come on. Yeah. No, that's true, too. I've had a long day, I'm gonna tell you. Anybody else but you, I think I'd have been dragging. So I knew this would be easy. All right, there he is, the great Morgan Evans.

[Morgan Evans]

Thanks for listening to a Bobbycast production.

[Bobby Bones]

Everyone deserves to be connected.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up

[Bobby Bones]

to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits. They leave out check the math@t mobile.com

[Public Investing Advertiser]

switch and now T Mobile is in US cellular stores.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the

[Morgan Evans]

cost of of optional benefits, plan features

[Bobby Bones]

and taxes and fees vary.

[Morgan Evans]

Savings with three plus lines include third

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

line free via monthly bill credits.

[Morgan Evans]

Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required.

[Jacob Goldstein]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com this

[Bethenny Frankel]

is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethenny Frankel. Most dog food is marketing, not nutrition. That is why Biggie and Smalls eat just food for dogs. Real 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. And yes, I do see the difference. Better digestion, healthier skin, more energy. Dogs that feel better. My babies. If you've been on the fence about switching, stop overthinking it. What's more important than your furry babies and their health? Go to justfood4dogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code needed. Just try it.

[Podcast Announcer]

At CVS, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it. It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night. And we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded. It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescriptions and here to fill your craving for a tasty and yeah, healthy snack. At cvs, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters. So Visit [e-mail] or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you. Store hours vary by location. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.