Morgan Wallen's Connection to Rockford, Illinois

Just when we thought we knew everything we needed to know about Country star Morgan Wallen, we learned his band has some strong Rockford, Illinois roots.

One Thing You Might Not Know About Morgan Wallen and His Band

You don't have to be a Country music fan to know the name Morgan Wallen these days.

Morgan has taken the music industry by storm in the last 5 years, and people of all ages and backgrounds LOVE the music he puts out, even when they don't claim to be a Country music fan.

Matt Winkelmeyer, Getty Images

Morgan Wallen has made a lot of headlines in the last 5 years, some are bad, and most are good, but today we learned something brand new about Morgan Wallen, or more specifically, about his band.

Did You Know One of Morgan Wallen's Band Members is From Rockford, Illinois?

Since I'm a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due I must admit that I had no clue about Morgan Wallen's connection to Rockford until I saw a message on our app from a woman named Lisa in Freeport that said;

Im sure you know the MW keyboard player is from Rockford. We were super surprised to hear it at Milwaukee concert.

Could this really be true?!?

I have been in the radio business for over 20 years, and I've seen hundreds of concerts, so I've learned that sometimes artists fib about where their band members come from with they introduce them to the crowd. Is Morgan Wallen's keyboardist really from Rockford, Illinois? After doing a little research I can now say that question is 100% true!

Christopher Blake Gladden via Facebook

Who is Chris Gladden?

Chris Gladden is a Rockford, Illinois native and Christian Life High School graduate who currently lives in Nashville with his wife and baby daughter. He started touring with Morgan Wallen in October 2021, and he is a man of MANY talents.

Chris Gladden not only plays the keyboard for Morgan Wallen, but also plays guitar, mandolin, and does background vocals too!

If you're going to see Morgan Wallen at Wrigley Field on June 22 and/or 23, make sure you throw some extra love out to Chris Gladden when you're there! We LOVE seeing Rockford-born residents doing amazing things and living big dreams!

RELATED: Morgan Wallen Sued Over Last-Minute Concert Cancellation

25 Famous People From Rockford

The Best Country Singer From Every State

Some states, like Oklahoma and Texas, are loaded with famous country singers. Others, like Nevada and Maine, are still looking for a real breakthrough artist. See the best and most successful country music artist from all 50 states, starting with Hank Williams and Alabama.