Grace Morrison — “Broken Things”
Americana Highways presents this premiere of Grace Morrison’s song “Broken Things” from her forthcoming album due Maybe Modern, due to be released on April 14. Maybe Modern was produced by Walt Wilkins and Ron Flynt, recorded and mixed by Ron Flynt at Jumping Dog Studio, Austin, and mastered by John Mailloux at Bongo Beach Productions in Westport, MA.
Musicians on the album are Grace Morrison on acoustic guitar and vocals; Walt Wilkins on acoustic guitar, percussion, and harmony vocals; John Chipman on drums and percussion; Glenn Fukunaga on bass; Rich Brotherton on electric guitars; Ron Flynt on Wurlitzer piano, B3 organ, Glockenspiel and baritone guitar; Lloyd Maines on steel guitar; and Betty Soo on vocal harmonies.
We had a chance to chat with Grace briefly about this song and the album. The song premiere appears just beneath the interview.
Americana Highways: Would you give us some background on how this song “Broken Things” initially was sparked?
Grace Morrison: My grandfather was born in 1916 in a tiny little house known in town as the “Railroad House.” It’s so close to the train tracks it shakes when a train goes by. I remember him bringing me there as a little kid, and I remember that the house was full of family history. After he and his sister died in the late 90’s it just sat there abandoned.
Every day I’d drive by wishing I could go inside and see it again. Especially after my father passed, I wanted to feel connected to that side of my family again. It was such a tease driving by this boarded up house every day, but not being a criminal I never forced my way in. Until one day I drove by and an actual criminal had broken in. I’m such a dork, in my mind I was thinking “I can be a hero! I can save the family heirlooms”!
Walking inside was like time travel. There was my great-grandmother’s piano (she played for silent movies) and her super cool Victorian piano stool with claw feet. The family Bible was there. It was incredibly moving.