Glee star Matthew Morrison sings Somewhere Over The Rainbow with Gwyneth Paltrow on his self-titled debut album, but the dream he dared to dream, that really did come true, is singing with the legendary Elton John. The two recorded an epic medley of John’s Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters and Rocket Man.
“I wanted to pay homage to one of my favourite songwriters,” says Morrison, who had the good fortune to be in the studio with John for the tracking. “It was pretty surreal. I don’t know how to describe it. I didn’t really take in the moment until maybe a couple of days afterwards, where I was like, ‘Did that actually happen?’ It felt like a dream.
“I listen to that song now and his voice is so awesome, and then his voice fades out and then mine comes in and it’s like, ‘Woah!’”
Sting also joins him on Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot but the rest of the songs are solely Morrison.
Some of the songs the 32-year-old co-wrote, including the album’s lead single, Summer Rain.
“I thought that the first single had to start in a really kind of light poppy fun place,” he says.
Morrison has worked in musical theatre since his teens and never before released an original album (he’s been on Broadway albums). He realizes his role on the hit TV series as teacher and glee club director Will Schuester has opened doors he wouldn’t normally have on a debut album, including bypassing club shows for theatres and an opening slot on the New Kids On The Block/Backstreet Boys tour.
“I have a whole band, an 11-piece band, a horn section,” he says of the costly configuration. “I want to do it right and luckily enough from being on Glee, I think I have more of a support system behind me.”
