Maren Morris' Mother Reveals What She Is Most Proud of in Her Famous Daughter

Maren Morris grew up in Arlington, Texas, as the daughter of Gregory and Kellie Morris, who supported her musical ambitions in every way, carting her to different gigs all over the Lone Star state, long before Morris was old enough to drive. While the parents made plenty of sacrifices for the child prodigy, Kellie admits it was a challenge for her.

"Watching her grow up in Texas and do the music thing was difficult," she conceded to Harper's BAZAAR. "There were times when she was like, 'I just don't know. I think I'm done.'"

Kellie knew Morris had greatness in her, but she likely never imagined the superstar her daughter would become. Still, the thing Morris' mother is most proud of has nothing to do with the singer's talent.

"I am most proud of the very strong, compassionate woman that she's become," Kellie noted. "She's a great leader."

Kellie and her husband did everything they could to help Morris' dreams come true, often at their own expense.

"We literally sold the furniture out of the house to finance her very first record," Kellie previously told radio station WFAA. The family, which also includes younger sister, Karsen, all had their hopes dashed, more than once.

"I mean I can't tell you how many times we were that close to thinking a record deal was going to come and it didn't," Kellie recalled.

Morris has come a long way, although she certainly hasn't had it easy. The 29-year-old is one of the rare female artists who is played regularly on country radio, but that success hasn't come without a fight.

"I like to say that everyone's an overnight sensation when no one's heard of them before," Morris said. "But you don't see all of those years of playing in sh--ty honky tonks, and being stiffed by the club owner and not getting paid, but playing the show anyway, and being essentially background music."

Morris realizes she might still be a struggling artist, if not for one song that changed the entire trajectory of her career.

"I had a lot of doors slammed in my face, but one song can change everything, and that's what happened with 'My Church,'" Morris said. "There are a lot of gatekeepers that do not give the same time of day to a new female artist that they would do to a new male artist."

Photo Credit: Getty images/Christopher Polk