Maren Morris Bids Farewell to ‘Bittersweet’ 2019 as She Welcomes New Year

2019 brought both highs and lows to Maren Morris, which she opened up about in an emotional post on social media. The 29-year-old shared photos of some of her favorite parts of the previous year, admitting that not all of it was pleasant for her.

“Goodbye, 2019,” Morris posted. “NYE is bittersweet. You’re supposed to reflect, get existential + mine through the lessons. I think it’s also okay to say ‘that sucked and I hope I don’t go through it again.’ My overarching feeling is gratitude. I scared the hell out of myself this year. I put out GIRL, joined [The Highwomen], did my biggest international tour, did Playboy (clothed, prudes), sang with Dolly, lost a dear friend, found out I was pregnant + won Album of the Year at the CMAs.

“Thank you to my husband, friends, family, team + my fans for such an unforgettable year,” she added. “So, I guess, 2020, everything’s gonna be ok.”

The dear friend Morris lost is her frequent collaborator, songwriter and producer Busbee, who passed away from brain cancer in September.

“I was given Busbee’s piano the day before we won album of the year for GIRL,” Morris revealed on social media. “The one we recorded ’80s Mercedes’ and ‘Gold Love’ on. I play a few crappy chords, but I hear him in every one.”

Morris admitted, while accepting her CMA Award for GIRL, that Busbee’s loss is one she would always mourn.

“We miss him so dearly… He texted me the morning that we got the nomination for Album of the Year this year. We were so excited,” Morris said at the time. “His wife, Jess, is here tonight and she looks so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your husband with us once a month. And my heart goes out to you and your beautiful daughters. I hope when they listen to this record, or any of the songs he made, that made us all better… they know how amazing their father was.”

Morris doesn’t have any shows currently scheduled until after she and her husband, Ryan Hurd, are due to welcome their first child, a boy. Morris is also working on new music, which she says will likely be influenced by her new role as a mother.

Photo Credit: Getty / Kevin Winter