Michael Morris is a man of many layers.

And it’s only when you peel away those layers, do you begin to see what makes up the whole of the man. On one layer, he’s a singer/songwriter, on yet another, he’s an entrepreneur with business savvy.

But at his core, he’s an artist.

“It’s so important to be honest with your art and even more importantly, to be yourself,” Morris said. “It breaks my heart to think about people who don’t think it’s okay to be different, that somehow, being different is not a socially acceptable thing, but yet it’s the only thing everyone is.”

Morris describes his sound as folk-based indie rock, yet he pulls from an eclectic array of influences, including Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash and hip-hop. His voice is inviting, yet pleading; his songs rife with emotional rawness.

“I can’t say all the words in my songs are autobiographically true, but the feelings behind them are emotionally autobiographical,” he said.

In the last several months, Morris has steadily garnered more attention for himself and his music, opening for Haley Bonar, Kraig Johnson and Soul Asylum.

“I’ve been singing in church choir since I was a child, but it wasn’t until college that I bought my first acoustic guitar. After that playing guitar was all I did with my free time,” Morris said.

Roughly a year after he bought his guitar, he started writing, but it was a couple of years later before he’d perform one of the songs he’d written in front of an audience.

“Initially, I didn’t have the desire to write songs, it didn’t even cross my mind,” Morris said. “And for a long time, it was hard for me to think my songs were good enough for people to hear.”

Morris quickly realized this new-found passion more than a passing interest; he wanted to be a full-time musician.

“Three summers ago, I was taking guitar lessons. And one week, I told my teacher I was working harder on my lessons so I could do this as my job. He didn’t laugh. He told me it was definitely not out of the question for me to be a musician, but to make my whole life as a musician, it had to more than a matter of talent and effort, I needed something else to make money,” Morris said. “My teacher performed live and he also taught music lessons; he may not have been a full-time musician, but his life revolved around music.”

Morris became wrapped up in how else he could make money, but his parents didn’t share his enthusiasm. They had always encouraged his music, yet they weren’t crazy about him choosing it his career.

Then his father passed away unexpectedly.

In the two weeks following his death, Morris didn’t touch his guitar, nor was he concerned with work or his studies. He soon returned to Seattle, where he’d been attending college. It was when he came home for a visit, something changed.

“My mom and I were talking about my making music a career and I can’t remember what I said, but she said ‘oh, well then, that’s what you have to do,’” Morris said. “Ever since, she’s not only been supportive of my choice, she’s been at my shows.”

Morris started his label, Plastic Horse Records, in 2005. “Money and business are an antithesis to creating art, but I realize there’s no way around not paying attention to the business side. I started Plastic Horse to have a say in how the business is run and to have a say in the way my art is made,” he said.

Morris calls Plastic Horse a completely independent label with really honest artists who want to keep the art first. Other bands on the label include: White Elephant, formerly the Alpha Centauri; Randy Nelson from Seattle, indie folk; The Fresh Nest, hip-hop; and Steele Arundel, indie pop with Brit pop sensibilities. Morris is less concerned with genre than working with like-minded musicians.

Morris released his first CD, the two-track “King County Hotel and Casino,” on Plastic Horse.

“I was performing more, as well as touring, and I wanted something to sell at shows. Recording two tracks seemed like a fun way to start a record label and it was cheaper to record,” Morris said. “I do want to make a full-length album and I have a catalog of songs for it, but I don’t want to make the album just because I’m supposed to – and there are some people who don’t act like you’re official until you release that full-length album.”

When he moved back from Seattle, he had musicians in mind he wanted to collaborate with, but Morris has played only a few shows with exactly the same lineup.

“I’ll continue to use a rotating and diverse cast of musicians, because I like the textures and dynamics, and it heightens the experience for the audience,” he said. “When it came to forming the band and giving the band a name, it made the most sense to put my name on it. Plus, if I can’t find someone to back me up, I can do the show solo.”

Morris’ 2006 plans include touring, both solo and with full band, as much as possible in the metro and throughout the U.S.

Morris continues to structure his life around becoming a full-time musician. And whether he focuses on performing or the business side of music, Morris will always put the artistry and its honesty first.

“There are songs Leonard Cohen won’t play because he believes he lost the truth of the song along the way. Cohen put it best when says the measure of a song is not whether it feels good enough, but whether it feels honest.” Morris said. “And I want that naked honesty in my music.”

www.myspace.com/michaelmorrismusic
www.plastic-horse.com