My life has been interesting. If you’ve read this far, you find something enticing and maybe even a tingling sensation in your nether regions from my music. I like to consider myself an open book, seeing as to how I must write songs from the depths of my wounds, and the core honesty that fuels me as a human being.

Some basic facts: I have a very vulgar and perverse sense of humor. I swear constantly. I collect gnomes, Buddha’s, and mermaids. I am really into thrift shops.

I love the Plymouth Prowler. I desperately want a four wheeler. I’m afraid to fly. I’m atheist. I have a piano tattoo on my right arm. I am obsessed with the color teal.

I have a whole collection of Little Mermaid toys. I have never smoked.

I adore the ocean. I love playing tetris. And I love animals.

I grew up in the very deep and scary south. We had a dysfunctional family with an alcoholic father, millions of animals, and a house that should have been condemned. We had money, however my father coveted every penny for his own selfish needs, and we often went without power and food due to his mood swings and power trips. I was often entertained by my imagination and first showed an early love of astronomy at age 5. I would sit out in the field for hours and stay completely mesmerized by the world around me and what was beyond us.

My grandfather has been a music man his whole life. I’ve had access to instruments most children only see on television and I had strong support to dabble with these instruments. I was holding violins and squeezing accordions before elementary school ever began and when it did eventually begin, I excelled at the arts. My brother who is 13 years my senior, pushed me toward visual arts and I was deeply passionate about my paintings and such when I entered school. I won ribbons and got lost in my artwork every week it seemed. I liked the attention and I knew perhaps I was maybe different than the other kids. It wasn’t until 4th grade when I showed everyone my number one passion and love…singing.

After that, it was on. It was all I could think about. I was to be a pop star and that’s all there was to it.  I was obsessed with singing and trying to make something of myself using my voice.

From my toddler years, I was absolutely in love with the piano. Looking up at the massive wooden beast and its angelic tones of heaven, I was completely in love. I knew the second I saw and heard it, this device was meant for me. After constant begging, I convinced my mother to let me have a go with lessons from a neighbor at age 9. What an awful idea. I had no clue I was to follow little dots to get out my emotions and I was repulsed by this notion. After what seemed like 2 or 3 lessons that I remember absolutely nothing from, I gave up. I was determined dots would not convey my heart.

I started writing frequently by the age of 13. I figured if I was going to excel to the heights of Paula Abdul, I better get some lyrics going. It was shortly after I realized I had a little more depth than most pop stars and I should probably give up my Nsync-like aspirations. After all, I had something worth a damn to talk about.

At age 15, I went back to the piano. After studying Tori Amos’s life and being in awe at the fact that she didn’t need sheet music, I relinquished hope. Damn it, if she could do it, I said I was going to do it. All of my heroes were pianists, and I desperately wanted to share that passion. After hanging out in my school’s auditorium on my lunches, before and after class, and honestly ANY second I got, I developed a knack for it. People noticed and I started playing everything I heard. It was heaven to me- figuring out what keys went where, what sounded good with what, and figuring out songs.

I picked up guitar at age 18 after begging numerous adults to help me get a piano. It seemed like no one took me seriously when I said it was my heart and soul. So I had access to a guitar, and my grandpa gave me one lesson. From there, I picked up everything on my own and went with it. I needed something to sing to and it worked. I continued my piano work, only it was in stores, friends’ houses, and anywhere I could find one. This went on for almost 9 years…no piano.

After high school, **** hit the fan in my personal life. All my instruments were stolen from my car along with 7 years worth of poetry. I almost ended up homeless a gazillion times. I had severe problems coming up with songs…it was depressing. I basically got my **** kicked and realized I had a lot cut out for me. I started writing “Unsavory Element” in early 2002 and was thrilled with my finally blossoming songwriting abilities. It wasn’t so hard after I relaxed and dug deep into my heart for the words and music. I briefly lived in NY at this time, and had a lot of time to think about things.

Shit hit the fan with that…again. I moved back to NC and lived in a camper behind my sister’s house for 6 months or so. I had no running water, and frankly felt like I was the epitome of pure disappointment. All of these emotions fueled “Unsavory Element” and I unloaded my misery through the majesty of song. I stayed up reading Buddhism books and listening to the crickets at night. That was one of the best times of my life.

I gave a try to college. Yeh…about that. All I could think about was finding songwriter contests for my newborn songs. I made a Sheena Morris poster in one class, and constantly zoned out due to my daydreams of aspirations. I was just worthless really. I passed my classes, but was staying up until 3am most nights recording my album on my computer.

It was met with much delight (Unsavory Element) and seemed to really strike chord in people who got it. I eventually moved to Raleigh, North Carolina with nothing but a car full of clothes and my instruments because there weren’t any resources near my tiny hometown. It was a wise idea and I’m happy I did it. Since that time in 2003, I’ve met a great team of people (including the love of my life-he’s incredible), played some welcoming gigs, and really began tapping into my potential. I was even given money by SEVERAL friends to finally buy a piano. So for the past year and a half, that’s where I’ve been. “Veruna” was a concept I started writing for in 2002, and it’s thrilling to see it finally taking shape. I’m surrounded by some incredible artists and visionaries who have helped make this happen and who never lose faith in my abilities. Currently, I’m 25 years old, still living in N.C. and busting ****. I’m amazed everyday at how far I’ve come both spiritually and musically and I hope to convey this through “Veruna.” This album is my baby- my love and joy, and I’m thrilled and anxious to bring it to you.

Thank you for stopping by my site. Please explore and indulge yourself in my art to the fullest of your enjoyment.

Sheena

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