We all have to start somewhere, and back in 2014, Morgan Wallen recorded some of his earliest tunes for a small record label, Panacea Records. While five of the songs were released as an EP (“Stand Alone”), most of the songs were discarded – or so Morgan assumed.

Friday, the label reissued the EP and eight more songs in a collection called “10th Anniversary,” and if “new” Morgan Wallen music was news to fans, it was equally surprising to Morgan himself. Wallen said he learned of the old music coming out while he was duck-hunting, and actually recorded a cover of one of the songs, “Spin You Around,” while he was out on the hunt. “I want you to know this is NOT my new music & I don’t want to see this happen to anyone else,” Wallen wrote on Instagram. “I cringe when I listen to these songs & I’m concerned my fans may mistakenly believe this is a new release by me,” he wrote. “It’s gross, greedy & an example of how the dark side of the music business can suck the soul out of artists.” He released the re-recorded version of “Spin You Around” Friday night, at the same time his old label released the rest of the earlier material.

Panacea Records’ William Ray, for his part, stands by the release of the eight previously unheard tracks. “We love the songs and believe some of his fans will love it too,” says Ray. “We are excited to finally get these songs out to the world.”

Check out Morgan’s new and Wallen-approved version of “Spin You Around” below.

Source: Variety