Results for Derrick Morgan
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Artist:

Derrick Morgan

Born:
Mar 27, 1940

Representative Albums:

Time Marches On: Derrick Morgan Sings Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae, Moon Hop: Best of the Early Years 1960-69, Tougher Than Tough (Rudie in Court)

Similar Artists:

A Member of the Group:

Derrick & Patsy, Derrick & Naomi, Derrick & Pauline

Relationship with:

Pauline Morgan

Performed Songs By:

Followers:

  • Genre: Reggae
  • Active: '50s - '90s
  • Instrument: Vocals

Biography

A member of the classic first wave of Jamaican ska artists, Derrick Morgan was among the genre's founding fathers, emerging alongside pioneers including the Skatalites, Laurel Aitken, Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker. Born in March, 1940, Morgan was raised in the Kingston area, exposed to a variety of musical sources spanning from New Orleans R&B to the choral music of the nearby church where his father served as deacon. At the age of 17, he took top honors at the annual Vere John's Opportunity talent show, delivering blistering renditions of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and "Jenny Jenny," and in 1959 teamed with producer Duke Reid to record his debut single "Lover Boy." Morgan's follow-up, "Fat Man," was a smash throughout Jamaica, and he later scored with recordings of "Leave Earth" and "Wigger Wee Shuffle," both cut with the legendary Clement "Coxsone" Dodd.

By 1960, Morgan was the unrivaled King of Ska -- at the peak of his popularity, he was the first and only Jamaican artist to date to hold down the top seven slots on the national pop singles chart during the same week, generating a string of smashes including "Be Still," "In My Heart," "Don't Call Me Daddy," "Moon Hop" and "Meekly Wait and Murmur Not." In 1961, he recorded his biggest hit ever, "Housewives' Choice," and a year later -- in celebration of Jamaica's emancipation -- recorded the first independence song, "Forward March." Morgan and Prince Buster, arguably the two biggest ska performers of the era, became embroiled in a fierce musical feud which quickly spilled over among their respective fans, and as of 1963 disputes between the two camps became so heated that leaders of the newly formed Jamaican government were forced to intervene, calling a cease-fire and bringing the two performers together for publicity photos to bury the hatchet.

In 1966, Morgan issued "Tougher Than Tough," widely credited as the first record in the rock steady genre. He continued to innovate in the years to follow -- among his most enduring contributions were "Went to the Hop" (the first Jamaican song with an electric bass guitar), "Blazing Fire" (the first song to employ an electric piano), "Love Not to Brag" (the first duet with a female artist, Millicent Patsy Todd) and "Seven Letters" (the first reggae song, produced in collaboration with brother-in-law Bunny Lee). Morgan also produced many of the era's most notable up-and-comers, among them Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Garnet Silk. Although he lived in Britain from 1963 onward, Morgan remained a towering figure in Jamaica throughout the remainder of the decade; even after his fame began to slip in the 1970s, he continued recording regularly in the years to follow. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
 
 
Wikipedia: Derrick Morgan

Derrick Morgan (born 27 March 1940, Mocho, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica) is a musical artist popular in the 1960s and 1970s.[1] He worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff in the ska genre, and he also performed rocksteady and skinhead reggae.

In 1957, Morgan entered the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour, a talent show held at the Palace Theatre in Kingston. He won with rousing impressions of Little Richard, and shortly after that, was recruited to perform around the island with the popular Jamaican comedy team, Bim and Bam. In 1959, Morgan entered the recording studio for the first time. Duke Reid, the acclaimed sound system boss, was looking for talent to record for his Treasure Isle record label. Morgan cut two popular shuffle-boogie sides "Lover Boy", aka "S-Corner Rock", and "Oh My". Soon after, Morgan cut the bolero tinged boogie, "Fat Man", which also became a hit. He also found time to record for Coxsone Dodd.

In 1960, Morgan became the first artist to fill the places from one to number seven on national pop chart simultaneously, a feat that to this day has never been matched.[2] Among those hits were "Don't Call Me Daddy", "In My Heart", "Be Still" and "Meekly Wait and Murmur Not". But it would be the following year that Morgan would release the biggest hit of his career, the Leslie Kong production of "You Don't Know", later re-titled, "Housewives’ Choice" by a local DJ. The song featured a bouncing ska riddim, along with a duet sung by Morgan and Millicent "Patsy" Todd.

"Housewives’ Choice" began the legendary rivalry between Morgan and Prince Buster, who accused Morgan of stealing his ideas. Buster quickly released, "Blackhead Chiney Man", chiding Morgan with that sarcastic putdown of, "I did not know your parents were from Hong Kong", a clear swipe at Kong. Morgan returned with the classic, "Blazing Fire", in which he warns Buster to "Live and let others live, and your days will be much longer. You said it. Now it’s the Blazing Fire". Buster shot back with, "Watch It Blackhead" which Morgan countered with, "No Raise No Praise" and "Still Insist". Followers of both artists often clashed, and eventually the government had to step in with a staged photo shoot depicting the rivals as 'friends'.

In the mid 1960s, when ska evolved into the cooler, more soulful rocksteady period, Morgan continued to release top quality material, including the seminal rude boy classic, "Tougher Than Tough", "Do the Beng Beng", "Conquering Ruler", and a cover of Ben E. King’s soul hit, "Seven Letters". Produced by Bunny Lee, the latter is often cited as the first true reggae single.[3] In 1969, Morgan cut the famous skinhead anthem, "Moon Hop" (on Crab Records). However, failing eyesight then forced him from the stage, but Morgan still performs occasionally at ska revival shows across the world. Often backed by the guitarist, Lynn Taitt, Morgan remained popular in Jamaica and the UK into the early 1970s. He has lived primaily in either the UK or the U.S. since the late 1960s.

In July 2002 in Toronto, Canada, a two night 'Legends of Ska' concert was held. Reuniting were The Skatalites, Lloyd Knibbs, Rico Rodriguez, Lloyd Brevett, Lester Sterling, Johnny Moore and Lynn Taitt; along with Prince Buster, Alton Ellis, Owen Gray, Lord Creator, Justin Hinds, Derrick Harriott, Winston Samuels, Roy Wilson, Patsy Todd, Doreen Shaffer Stranger Cole, Lord Tanamo and Derrick Morgan.[4][5] In 2007, Morgan appeared on the bill at the annual Augustibuller festival. His song "Tougher Than Tough" was featured in the video game, Scarface: The World is Yours.

Discography

Albums

  • Seven Letters (1969)
  • Feel So Good (1975) (featuring Hortense Ellis)
  • People's Decision (1977)
  • Still in Love (1977) (also featuring Hortense Ellis)
  • Sunset at Moonlight City
  • I Am the Ruler (1992) - Trojan Records
  • Tougher Than Tough (Rudie in Court) (1992)
  • Ska Man Classics (1995)
  • Ska Man Classics (1997)
  • 21 Hits Salute (1997)
  • Meets the High Notes Live (2003)
  • Moon Hop: Best of the Early Years 1960-69 (2003)
  • Derrick:Top the Top (2003)
  • Derrick Meets the High (2004)

Singles

  • "The Hop" / "Tell It To Me", 7": Island WI 006, UK, 1962
  • "Forward March" / "Please Don't Talk About Me", 7": Island WI 011, UK, 1962
  • "See The Blind" / "Cherry Home", 7": Island WI 013, UK, 1962
  • "Moon Hop" - 1970 - UK No. 49

"#wp-_note-British_Hit_Singles_.26_Albums">[6] Singles on Crab Records

  • River To The Bank / Reggae Limbo 7" (B side - Peter King)
  • Seven Letters / Lonely Heartaches 7" (B side - The Tartons)
  • The First Taste Of Love / Dance All Night 7"
  • Don't Play That Song / How Can I Forget You 7"
  • Mek It Tan Deh / Gimme Back 7"
  • Send Me Some Loving / Come What May 7"
  • Hard Time / Death Rides A Horse 7" (B Side - Roy Richards)
  • Man Pon Moon / What A Thing 7"
  • Moon Hop / Harris Wheel 7" (B Side - Reggaeites)
  • A Night At The Hop / Telephone 7"
  • Oh Baby / The Rat 7" (B Side - The Thunderbirds)
  • Need To Belong / Let's Have Some Fun 7" (With Jennifer Jones)
  • I Wish I Was An Apple / The Story 7"
  • Take A Letter Maria / Just A Little Loving 7" (With Owen Gray)
  • Rocking Good Way / Wipe These Tears 7" (With Jennifer Jones)
  • My Dickie / Brixton Hop 7"
  • I Can't Stand It No Longer / Beyond The Wall 7"
  • Endlessly / Who's Making Love 7"
  • Hurt Me / Julia 7"
  • Searching So Long / Drums Of Passion 7"

[7]

Footnotes

  1. ^ http://www.isound.com/derrick_morgan
  2. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=DERRICK|MORGAN&sql=11:0zfoxqw5ld0e~T1
  3. ^ http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Moon%20Hop:%20Best%20of%20the%20Early%20Years%201960-69:1921987984:upc=060768041028:page=tracks
  4. ^ http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-07-11/music_feature.php
  5. ^ http://www.mentomusic.com/tanamo.htm
  6. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited, p. 379. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  7. ^ http://www.vinylnet.co.uk/record-label-discographies.asp link

See also

External links


 
 

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Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ® , a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Derrick Morgan" Read more

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