John Morgan Reveals the Story Behind ‘Once in a Mile’ and Teases His Next Musical Chapter [Exclusive]

Sometimes, all it takes is a drive down a familiar road back home to bring the past rushing back. John Morgan captures that feeling in his brand-new song “Once in a Mile,” which turns a stretch of highway into a trip down memory lane filled with reflections of young love, old memories and the place he once called home.

The hit songwriter tells Country Now that he is slowly building out his next album, with hopes of releasing it sometime in 2027. Until then, he plans to continue rolling out songs that offer a preview of this next chapter, and “Once in a Mile” serves as the latest glimpse into what’s ahead.

Co-written by Morgan with his producer Brent Anderson, the new tune was born from a Zoom writing session with they were both snowed into their homes last winter. Anderson had a “really cool idea” and wasn’t about to let the weather stop them from bringing it to life.

“He called me and he’s like, ‘Can’t get out of my driveway but I have a really cool idea. I want you to hear it.’ I’m like, ‘Man, let’s hop on Zoom.’ So we actually got on Zoom and wrote the song in probably two and a half hours or something like that. It was one of the fastest songs I’ve written. I’m not usually a quick writer, but it just kind of fell out,” Morgan recalled.

The “Friends Like That” singer connected with the concept on a personal level, drawing from his own experiences of returning home to North Carolina and suddenly feeling transported back to his younger days. Driving through familiar places brought back memories of all the fun he had growing up, the shows he played early in his career and the moments that still come rushing back whenever he returns.

“That’s kind of where that song came from. I love it. It’s probably my favorite off this new album we just cut. I’m just excited to get some new stuff out,” Morgan added.

Listeners will hear the mid-tempo track channeling that same feeling through the story of an old relationship, with familiar roads triggering memories of being young and in love, from hearing “Boys of Summer” on the radio to passing the places where the couple once spent time together. Each mile brings another emotion to the surface, while also offering a bittersweet sentiment as he wonders what this woman of his past been up to in all these years they’ve been apart.

“Because here I go/ Back in time/ When we were young/ When we were us/ And you were mine/ They’re playing ‘Boys of Summer’ on that radio dial/ There goes that spot where we’re parked and left our clothes in a pile/ And that one red light I’d run to see that green eyed smile/ I only think about you baby/ Every Once in a mile,” he sings.

The song leans into a traditional country sound with hard-hitting instrumentation, and a steady mid-tempo beat, creating the kind of track that feels made for long drives. Morgan’s gritty, warm vocals carry the weight of every emotion, giving the memories in the lyrics an added sense of depth as they invite listeners to reflect on their own past.

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John Morgan had the chance to debut “Once In A Mile” on stage of the Grand Ole Opry during his most recent performance in the revered circle. In that moment, he felt a mix of waves and excitement as the new track sets the tone for his next record.

“I think I second guessed myself when we were side stage wondering why I would debut a song on that stage. But no, we got up there and it went really well. And I think it’s just fun. There’s always just a little bit of excitement whenever you’re putting out new material for everybody. And I think that’s just part of the enjoyment, part of the nerves. A big part of the nerves is just following it up. And I think this record’s just a collection of songs that really do that, in my opinion, and ‘Once In a Mile’ is definitely the top of the list.”

With new music on the horizon, Morgan hopes fans have high expectations, because he and his team are determined to raise the bar with each new collection of songs. Last year, listeners got their hands on his debut album, Carolina Blue. Morgan says he was very proud of that record, mostly for his hands on work in pre-production, during which he wore a lot of hats in order to save some money and ensure his vision came to life properly.

“There are a lot of artists and bands coming out right now that are in the same world sonically, I think. And to me, I think it’s awesome to have session guys come in and make it sound expensive. But I think it’s fun to get in there yourself to get it right because I’m going to have to be the one playing it for the next 10 years hopefully,” he shared. “So yeah, I think we captured the same kind of thing on this record as well and didn’t stray too far from center. And we also tried a few things and I’m at a different stage in life too now where I’m writing about different stuff. I think people will enjoy it and I hope there’s something they’ll connect to on it.”

As he continues to write songs that capture this phase of life, Morgan says his writing process has also shifted naturally, and now finds himself wanting to add more depth to his songs.

“I think it’s just more so just trying to put a little meat in a song. I mean, I feel like you write heartbreak stuff all day, but there’s a little more to it sometimes. And I like songs that have a good storyline and just take your mind somewhere that you wouldn’t expect it to go. It’s usually my favorite. So I try to do a little bit more of that on the writing side,” he explained. “And yeah, I think naturally it’s going to relate to where I’m at in life now as opposed to six years ago when I moved to town. So it’s been cool to see that come to fruition.”

He is seeing a lot of momentum building in his career right now. On top of earning a three-week No. 1 as a writer on Jason Aldean’s “Don’t Tell On Me,” his current single “Kid Myself” is about to be Top 10.

“It’s pretty wild. You don’t know what’s going to happen with the song when you’re in the writing room and the process of making it what it is. But yeah, it’s been a long, steady climb on the charts with this song and it’s kind of stood the test of time, so to speak,” he said while reflecting on the journey of “Kid Myself.” So I’m just grateful to be in the game and it’s cool to see this one as our first single on our own.”

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Plus, Morgan is looking forward to joining Brantley Gilbert on the Real American Tour this fall. He hopes to win over some new fans while sharing new music and shares he is simply just thankful to be a part of the run.

“We’re going to do our job and stay out of the way and hopefully steal some of his fans along the ride. So it’s going to be a blast. I hope people will show up and see what it’s all about.”

The trek launches on September 4 and continues through November.