“With this fourth studio album on the books, Morgan has, by all means, made it,” Tommy Wallen wrote of his son Morgan Wallen.

Morgan Wallen and his Dad Tommy Wallen; Photos Courtesy of Social Media and I’m The Problem CD Zine

Tommy Wallen has watched his son, Morgan Wallen, grow from a little boy strumming songs on a hand-me-down guitar in the garage of their East Tennessee home to a man achieving monumental success in the music industry and touring on a global scale.

Reflecting on Morgan’s journey, Tommy shares a mix of pride, awe, and some of the humbling lessons he’s witnessed along the way in a deeply personal letter, included in the liner notes of his son’s newly released, limited-edition I’m The Problem CD Zine available today, Friday (Dec. 19).

“I didn’t give him any direction on what to say or anything like that. He probably was caught off guard by me even asking him to do something,” Morgan shared of his dad during an interview with Apple Music’s Kelleigh Bannen, speaking about his father’s contribution to the project. “I’ve never had a book like this or anything like that for an album release, so this was something new for all of us. But he has a preaching background and stuff, so he knows how to write a little bit, and he did better than I even thought he would.”

Morgan Wallen, Tommy Wallen, Indigo Wilder Wallen; Photo Courtesy of Instagram

The bond between Tommy and his famous son is evident throughout his special handwritten letter, as the elder Wallen reflects on moments he never imagined he and his son would share. For example, attending a “concert in London, watching the show from a private suite.” Yet, it’s not the grandeur that resonates most with him; it’s Morgan’s sense of humility.

The 32-year-old “I Got Better” singer/songwriter continues to show that side of himself, despite being an artist, as Tommy acknowledges, that he hears on the radio “no matter where I drive.”

After that London concert, Tommy notes, “Instead of joining the others and going to the party right away, Morgan took a moment, knelt down, and started picking up trash.” Looking back fondly on that particular memory, Tommy added, “My son has become a man…. He hasn’t lost his way.”

I’m The Problem marks Morgan’s fourth studio album. The collection has brought the country artist to new heights following the release of previous albums, 2023’s One Thing at a Time, 2021’s Dangerous: The Double Album, and 2018’s If I Know Me. Released earlier this year via Big Loud/Mercury Records, I’m The Problem  spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and 13 non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Canadian Albums chart. It became Morgan’s third consecutive album to log 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Morgan the first artist in history to achieve that milestone.

Internationally, the album debuted at No. 1 in seven countries and became Morgan’s first No. 1 debut on the UK Official Charts, placing him among just five artists to accomplish that feat with a country album. In Australia, I’m The Problem became the longest-running No. 1 album by a country artist in a decade.

Morgan Wallen I’m The Problem Album Art

Still, the album’s title is what Tommy focuses on the most in his heartfelt letter to his beloved son.

“I’ve seen Morgan go through a lot since he was a kid,” he proudly writes, championing his son before pointing out some pivotal moments in Morgan’s life. “The first big problem I saw him face was an injury that dashed any hope of him playing college baseball. I watched him overcome that, only to have another dream put on hold after getting voted off The Voice.”

Regardless of the setbacks, Morgan always got back up and brushed off any feelings of failure. And, while the hitmaker is arguably one of the most successful artists in modern country music, Tommy fully understands that success doesn’t erase any personal struggles.

A pastor by calling, he shares a deep relation to his son, admitting there were times in his own life when he, too, felt like he “was the problem.”

“At a tougher time in my life, I had to say the same thing to myself,” he shares. “I’ve also seen a lot of people in that position, through my work as a pastor, at the moment they realize they may have ruined everything they’d worked so hard for.”

“It’s what you do about those problems that really matters, though,” he continues. “I’m proud that Morgan has had problems in his life. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be the man he is today. But I’m even more proud of what he’s done with them.”

Morgan Wallen, Tommy Wallen & Indigo Wilder; Photo Courtesy of Austin Angel/@AustinAngelPhotography (2021)

Morgan, of course, is not only a global superstar but also a father to his now 5-year-old son, Indigo “Indie” Wilder Wallen. He’s opened up about his parenting role in the past, sharing his deep gratitude for the relationship he has created with his own son.

In a 2023 fan newsletter, the 31-year-old singer/songwriter shared kind words about his dad as part of a Father’s Day tribute, writing, “to my dad, thank you for being an example of what a good father is. Grateful for your guidance and support. Wouldn’t be the father I am today without you.”

“I’m so blessed to have Indie,” he added. “And thank the Lord every single day he chose me to be his daddy!”

The mutual respect between Morgan and Tommy has only grown stronger over time. “I don’t think it surprised me,” Morgan told Bannen with a laugh, regarding his father’s letter. “Me and him have been really, really honest and open with each other for the last 13 years, I guess now. Pretty much as soon as I moved out, that’s when our relationship improved dramatically. So yeah, no, I think he became more of my friend and advisor at that point.”

Beyond Tommy’s heartfelt words, the I’m The Problem zine also offers fans an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the creation of his record-breaking album. The glossy 100-page collectible includes in-depth interviews with Morgan, producer Joey Moi, producer/songwriter Charlie Handsome, and songwriter Blake Pendergrass, plus never-before-seen photos and lyrics from all 37 tracks. Folks also receive the I’m The Problem album on a 2-disc CD.

Speaking highly of his creative circle of friends and collaborators, in the limited-edition CD Zine, Morgan shares, “I don’t really write songs unless Charlie [Handsome] is involved at this point in my career. Blake Pendergrass is another guy who’s been added into the fold over the last couple years, and I think he’s one of the best songwriters in Nashville. I feel fortunate to have those types of guys helping me with the process. Once you figure out what you’re shooting for, you get in a rhythm of writing with those guys, and it really is fun.”

Fans can purchase the collectible 100-page I’m The Problem zine, featuring exclusive content and a 2-disc CD, HERE.

Morgan Wallen; Photos Courtesy of Social Media and I’m The Problem CD Zine

Read the full letter Tommy Wallen wrote for his son Morgan Wallen below:

I must have been on the road when I first heard Morgan on the radio. No matter where I drive today, it doesn’t take long before he pops up on a country station. With this fourth studio album on the books, Morgan has, by all means, made it.

With that success, he’s taken me and our family to some amazing places. Just this past year, we were at a concert in London, watching the show from a private suite. The room was full of people, and after the band played their last song, everybody filtered out, leaving Morgan and me in that big room alone. Instead of joining the others and going to the party right away, Morgan took a moment, knelt down, and started picking up trash—and that made me smile. My son has become a man, far from the boy I used to hear strumming songs in our garage on my grandfather’s hand-me-down guitar, but he hasn’t lost his way.

I’ve seen Morgan go through a lot since he was a kid. The first big problem I saw him face was an injury that dashed any hope of him playing college baseball. I watched him overcome that, only to have another dream put on hold after getting voted off The Voice. I followed him to Nashville in a tiny U-Haul truck to drop him off for another try at that same dream—and you all probably know the rest.

But along Morgan’s journey, I’ve also seen how success doesn’t get rid of all your problems, no matter how big that success is. It takes a lot to admit that you might be one of those problems. I know because, at a tougher time in my life, I had to say the same thing to myself.

I’ve also seen a lot of people in that position, through my work as a pastor, at the moment they realize they may have ruined everything they’d worked so hard for. It’s what you do about those problems that really matters, though. I’m proud that Morgan has had problems in his life. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be the man he is today. But I’m even more proud of what he’s done with them.