From the very first moment Minneapolis based Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Morris started playing music, it was obvious that storytelling was at the forefront. Her songs are written to pull listeners away from the larger picture, instead focusing on the everyday fascination of life's little experiences. From her early days in Nashville to her Twin Cities community abound support of local music, Sarah celebrates the joy in music and the process behind making it.
Catching up with Sarah at the White Squirrel before the start of her first “Let’s PLAY, Wednesday”, it’s obvious that Sarah’s mojo is intrinsic to her music. Her style is a soft invite and comforting neighbor to her songs. Mirroring the authenticity in her lyrics, her clothes carry their own small stories woven in the cotton. Happening on the 4th Wednesday of the month, each installment will feature something brand new, something tried and true, and a song that’s really blue. Sarah arrived fashionably early to recollect her history with clothes.
Sarah’s first memories points back to fourth grade with a peplum chambray dress that she was obsessed with. It was very special and the one clothing item that she really remembers loving. After that, there was the natural period where she was wearing things her mother didn’t really want her to wear. This partially involved trends, as most young adults explore the peer paved path.
“I really loved Mariah Carey in the early 90’s. She wore black body conscious bodysuits and body dresses and I wanted those. In 8th grade my boyfriend bought me something very similar to that, which I have an 8th grader and I cannot fathom a world where a boy is buying this dress for a girl. My parents were horrified.”
-Sarah Morris
There were also times where Sarah stepped outside of trends. She thought Mary Janes, Saddle shoes were great, and she loved and owned penny loafers (sans coin). Her friends would tease her about them because they didn’t fit her well and you could hear her clomping down the school hallways. Throughout the years she’s learned to embrace different items, in part finding a thing and then making it her thing. That’s meant at times it becomes a pair of overalls, or fishnets, or even sweaters. She embraces it, wearing it over and over again because it brings her joy.
Her past travels have also played into specific styles and pieces in her closet. Living in Nashville was great for leaning into cowboy boots. Her first and only pair came from an old boyfriend when she turned 21. It was the late nineties and looking around, she wasn’t seeing cowboy boots on anyone’s feet. They were great boots, but living in the Midwest didn’t feel like the right environment to be wearing them. Once she moved to Nashville, taking the boots with, she found herself wearing them all the time. Although she hasn’t worn the boots a lot in the last 4 years, those are an item that found their home when living in Nashville.
Minnesota has influenced her style a bit differently. Her mother was very practical and with limited income growing up, clothes were approached with questions; how many times can I wear this or will it work in many situations? This has carried through with her now being a mother. She likes to be comfortable and being cold all the time, means lots of sweaters. This means staying with neutrals as they go with everything. Her little bit of flare comes with fishnet stockings, which she wore for a play back in 8th grade. She continues to buy and wear them all over the place.
“I think fishnets always make me feel a different kind of empowered because they feel like they are mine. They feel like something that I didn’t ever see other friends wearing them.”
-Sarah Morris
For an artist that roams in country, pop, folk, and the Americana genre, there can be pressure to dress according to the kind of music. Although Sarah has felt that in her younger years with country music, she worries less about that now. Instead she holds onto the idea that fashion should be fun. Sarah also is aware of how it feels on her body, acknowledging that bodies change. Some clothes find their place in her closet based on capturing that feeling alone.
Those feelings can also influence her own artistic direction for her music. Back in 2017 she was finishing the Hearts in Need of Repair album and reveling in 80’s fashion. She loved Cybil Shepherd in Moonlighting and Kelly McGillis in Top Gun wearing just a men’s shirt and no pants. That was the hottest thing ever and Sarah wanted to feel that. She wears a shirt and no pants on the album cover, inspired by that iconic style.
The centerpiece of her outfit the night of this show was a paisley blouse that was found at Goodwill with fabric covered buttons. The front is pleated, creating texture and lines down the front. Shouting out Dayton’s, where her mother worked, the clearance rack was always a go-to for them. Sarah shares that her mother would be so proud knowing the blouse is a Liz Claiborne, a brand they could never afford back then.
Doubling down on sweaters, Sarah wears a charcoal chunky sweater over the blouse. She recollects it might be the first chunky sweater she bought from Target 4 years ago. Annually she finds the updated version, collecting new colors, even finding a white version at Goodwill recently for $7. The second sweater is in the form of the black sweater skirt, also found at Target. Sarah states the comfortable skirt is an attempt to embrace soft things and add less bossy clothes into her repertoire.
Her white bottomed tennis shoes are part of a twin set from Everlane. One pair she wears everywhere and the other stays in her car for gigs because she doesn’t know how to keep them clean. Sarah arrived in furry thick boots that were a present from her husband because they spend a lot of time in Ely.
Having lost two wedding rings that were heirlooms, Sarah went without a ring for 18 months. It started to feel weird and she needed to replace them, but wanted it to mean something. She loves partnering with local artists and reached out to Lars, who plays drums with her. He pointed her to Lauren Neal, a local designer. Sarah met with Lauren and shared the story of her family and what was important to them. She showed her photos of the rings that were lost and worked to design something uniquely their own. It was a real joy to bestow that love and knowledge back into a new wedding ring.
“I would say my mom has had a huge influence on me in that she is really good at finding practical pieces, but she'll always find the one detail that sets it apart. That's something that she taught me long ago.”
Inspiration has also come from other avenues in Sarah’s life. In the mid 90’s Sharon Stone wore Gap on the red carpet two separate times, making high-low fashion history at the event. This concept went on to become a more common narrative with celebrities' fashion nowadays. Now she’s inspired by her 11 year old daughter and the ton of options in her closet. Her daughter's ability to look comfortable while still having swagger is a vibe Sarah works to emulate.
In many ways, Sarah Morris channels the same magical energy and storytelling of another community neighborhood advocate, Mister Rogers. Let’s start with the easy comparisons. The affinity for sweaters aligns with Rogers iconic knitted cardigans, now displayed in the Smithsonian. Everyone remembers Rogers switching out his Sperry Captain navy canvas sneakers at the beginning and end of his shows. Sarah does a similar thing with her own pair of Everlane tennis shoes at gigs, keeping one pair always clean.
The next comparison to draw is theme songs. Mister Rogers never prerecorded his theme song, instead singing it for each and every show. Sarah has also written a theme song for her “Let’s PLAY Wednesday”, performed it at the front of each residency show. The song is intended to welcome you and make you feel comfortable.
Mister Rogers was an advocate for his neighborhood, showcasing artists, music, and finding creative ways to educate people on other jobs and daily life activities. Best friends with his own mailman, Rogers was a champion for others. Anyone that knows anything about Sarah can see those same beliefs in her. Collaborations with other musicians, her Toilet Tunes series recorded in her own bathroom, and spotlights of artists with the website Adventures in Americana. Sarah is an endless contributor to our community of musicians and I would venture to guess, also friends with her mailman.
Musically, there’s even more parallels. The White Squirrel residencies shift the spotlight to her friends as well as we witnessed Emily Haavik and Dan Schwartz play solo portions of the evening. One of the first things mentioned on stage was the songwriting group that Sarah is apart of, even calling out people’s names as she spotted them in the audience. The stage no longer felt separated from the room as she instantly created community within the space. It felt like a living room inside her own make-believe home.
Mister Rogers “Neighborhood of Make-Believe” was designed to be a safe place to discuss more serious issues by surrounding the message with puppets. Sarah’s music has a similar delivery, oftentimes tackling heavy subjects with finesse. “Ruthless” comes to mind as the weight of being ruthlessly honest with someone. There’s an uncomfortable feeling to the lyrics, while the surrounding music feels like a breeze coming from an open window. Hearing Sarah’s newest song that night “Glow”, written by the word prompt gravitas, was a gentle song that recognizes the translucence glow of happiness and how it attracts others. Behind the song discussing something intangibly big, there’s a welcoming acoustic guitar and warm voice that tempts you into the music.
“I want people to say, oh, we can trust this person to take care of us for a while and to bring us together. She likes chunky sweaters. She’s wearing flats. She seems reliable. We’ll have fun.”
-Sarah Morris
Sarah Morris is a shining example of how to use music in a positive way, focusing attention into building bridges and recognizing the celebrations in everyday living. Her music lifts you up with relatable situations with a poetic spin of perspective. There’s an unconditional love for others and their own personal stories. We’re very lucky to have our own Mrs. Rogers here in the Twin Cities.
Check out the links below for ways to follow Sarah Morris and all the topics we mentioned above.
Sarah Morris website - Instagram - YouTube - Let’s PLAY Wednesday - Sharon Stone High-Low - Mister Rogers Sweater - Everlane - Lauren Neal Wedding Ring
