I am a singer, songwriter and super fan of Morgan Wallen. Here's why. | Opinion

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Morgan Wallen is dangerous. Yes, he is dangerously talented.

This has others very envious in the music industry. He is the trifecta. He can write, play and sing. He is selling out full arenas and has released only two albums: three if you count his double album separately.

His first album, “If I Know Me” topped the Billboards Country Albums Charts. In Nov. 2019, he had his first No. 1 with “Whiskey Glasses.” It had gone Certified Platinum in September 2020.

In January 2021, Wallen released his double album “Dangerous.” This album spent ten weeks atop the charts as the No. 1 album and 43 weeks and counting on the Top 10 of Billboard #200.

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'The Voice' missed out on Wallen

"Dangerous" has become the only country album to spend its first seven weeks at No.1 on the Billboard 200 in the 64-year history of the chart. Wallen is the first country singer in six decades to have a No.1 album chart for their first seven weeks straight.

Country music singer and songwriter, Morgan Wallen performs during his Dangerous Tour at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.
Country music singer and songwriter, Morgan Wallen performs during his Dangerous Tour at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.

He has sold 3 million albums when young fans barely know music is to be purchased! He beat Adele by 1.6 million Albums. Who outsells Adele? His first headline show at Madison Square Garden attests to this as fans sang along with Wallen with every lyric. I have never seen anything like it. The people have spoken!

More: Concert review: Morgan Wallen courts superstardom with Nashville run but shows potential for more

Wallen was on Season Six of "The Voice" in 2014 and eliminated in the finals. The judges as well as fans let this diamond in the rough walk right out the door. The next time "The Voice" is frustrated that the winners have had dismal success, remember Morgan?

Wallen was offered a publishing deal after The Voice, however. He had his hand in a co-write on the song “You Make It Easy” covered by Jason Aldean and Charted at No. 14 in 2018. In 2021, he had another hand in a co-write with "Whiskey Me Away" recorded by Jason Aldean. Thank goodness Morgan did not win!

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Passing the torch to the next generation

The backlash that was given to the Opry for allowing Morgan Wallen to perform after his racial slur was unfair.

He should not be used as the poster boy for racism.

The Opry is about talent and there is no one more deserving in that regard than Morgan Wallen.

Morgan’s latest co-write and performance with Ernest Smith “Flower Shops” with twangy steel guitar is as good as the greats ever were! Country music in general is not a genre that sings about righteousness. It is a genre that sings about drinking, cheating, womanizing, regret, and some debauchery. If you want righteousness for those unforgiving to Wallen, you need to turn the station.

Heather Linkenheimer
Heather Linkenheimer

Wallen eventually signed to Big Loud Records who had the foresight to know that Morgan Wallen would be a superstar. On Martin Luther King Day, he performed his song “Broadway Girls” at Nashville's MLK festival with Lil Durk, who is African American and co-wrote the song with him.

You do not see these two people rehashing anything. As my fellow Gen Xers watch Garth Brooks pass the torch to future talent, please welcome Morgan Wallen and his generation to the stage.

Morgan Wallen is indeed the most dangerous artist for decades to come.

Heather Linkenheimer is a singer and songwriter with upcoming new releases “I Know You’re Dancin' Mum,” “Got You Girl,” High-Rises & Honky Tonks,” “New Old Timer” and “In Case of Emergency.” She can be reached on LinkedIn and/or Soundcloud.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Morgan Wallen concert 2022: Admire lyrics, songs, 'Dangerous' album