Gary Morris
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| Gary Morris | ||
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 Gary Morris' 1983 album Why Lady Why. The album was one of his most successful albums.
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Gary Gwyn Morris | |
| Born | December 7, 1948]] | |
| Origin | Ft. Worth, Texas | |
| Genre(s) | Countrypolitan, Country | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Actor | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals | |
| Years active | 1981– Present | |
| Label(s) | Warner Bros. Records | |
| Associated acts |
Larry Gatlin, Janie Fricke | |
Gary Morris (born December 7, 1948) is an American Country Music singer and theater actor, who enjoyed a string of Countrypolitan hit songs throughout the 1980s. He is best known for the 1983 ballad "Wind Beneath My Wings". He later became a successful theater actor.
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[edit] Early life
Gary Morris was born as Gary Gwyn Morris in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1948. He had two syblings, a younger brother and a twin sister. Even though, Morris was best-known for Pop-oriented hits in the 80s, he was descended for a long list of traditional Country singers, who sang hard-twang Country and also Gospel. While in the third grade, Morris and his sister won a talent show contest after singing their rendition of the Pop hit "This Old House", by Rosemary Clooney. Morris was very athletic in high school because he played ofur sports during this time. This led to a scholarship with Cisco Junior College in Texas. However, during this time, music began to fascinate Morris' world, and it was then he decided to move to Colorado and pursue a career in music. He and his two friends formed a trio and began singing. The trio asked a Colorado Springs bartender if they could get up on the bandstand and perform a few songs, and the audience's response (and tips) convinced Morris to put his college plans on hold and to pursue a performing career. [1] During this time, Morris had made a living singing in nightclubs in Denver, Colorado. He also wrote a few commercial jingles for Frontier Airlines. In 1976, Morris signed on with Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign and sang at fundraisers for him, while Carter was running for office.
This job led to Morris performing at the White House after Carter had won the election. In the audience was Nashville Country music producer Norro Wilson. Later on, Morris had presented Wilson with a demo tape, and Wilson liked what he heard. In no time, he was signed on to Wilson's label Warner Bros. Records.
[edit] Recording career
In the early 1980s, Morris began to record some songs for Warner Bros. Records. In 1981, after trying, he finally landed his first top ten Country hit called "Headed For a Heartache". he also had two Country top twenty hits. These hits were up-tempo tracks and it seemed to prove successful for Morris. In 1983, he decided to focus more on ballads than up-tempo Country tracks. He released his "ballad" album in 1983 called Why Lady Why. The album became one of his most successful albums, producing several hits. One of them was the hit single "Wind Beneath My Wings". The song became one of his biggest hits and still remains today as his signature song. The song was later popularized even more by singer Bette Midler. His other hits from his 1983 album included the song named after the album "Why Lady Why", "The Love She Found In Me" and "Velvet Chains". The year 1983 would prove to be one of his most successful years in the Country music industry. In 1983 also, he revived the career of 70s Country recording artist Lynn Anderson, when they had a hit duet together called "You're Welcome to Tonight". The duet became a top ten hit for them. In 1984 Morris won a string of awards for achievements and also appeared on several daytime and also evening television shows.
However, Morris did not stop recording and making a series of hits for himself. He continued to have success on the Country charts. In 1984, he saw his first #1 Country hit with the hi single "Baby Bye Bye". He also achieved two other Top ten hits, like "Second Hand Heart". He had another #1 hit in 1985 with the song "I'll Never Stop Loving You" and also had another hit with the song "Lasso the Moon". His songs at the time were mainly Pop-oriented tunes. This wasn't unique though for the time in Country music. Many songs and many artists had a Pop-oriented sound to their biggest hits. Examples of these singers include Larry Gatlin, Janie Fricke, Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers. Some of these singers even had success on the Pop charts, however, Morris never had success on the Pop charts like some of his counterparts did. This Pop sound in Country music was called Countrypolitan. Morris continued to have a more hits that refused to not to dry up until 1987. Other hits from the 80s after 1986 include "100% Chance of Rain", "Honeycomb", "Leave Me Lonely" and "Plain Brown Wrapper". "Plain Brown Wrapper" was Morris' last hit. After that, his success on the Country charts quickly faded. Overall in his career, he scored 16 Top Ten Country hits fro himself.
[edit] Acting Career & Life Today
After Morris' career in Country music ended, Morris decided to move right along into another career. This time, he chose acting. He had one of his first roles in the Broadway production of Les Miserables. The full symphonic recording of "Les Miserables" is a platinum selling, Grammy Award-winning album and features Gary's now famous version of Bring Him Home. [2] His other theater activities also proved successful for Morris. He appeared in the production of Puccini's opera La Boheme with another fellow Country singer Linda Ronstadt. In the 1990s, he spent a lot of time working on music projects, like the PBS special concert production in Moscow, Russia in the famous Tretyakov Gallery. He later got back in concert as a Country singer in the 90s and also was seen as a record producer. The Nashville network's top rated The North American Sportsman was hosted and also produced by Morris and was successful.
Today, Gary Morris spends much time at his fishing resort lodge in southern Colorado called the Mountain Spirit Lodge. Today, he currently has four children (all boys) and his son, Matthew is also a singer.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | U.S. Country Singles | Album | |
| 1981 | "Headed For a Heartache" | 8 | Morris, Gary | |
| 1981 | "Don't Look Back" | 12 | Morris, Gary | |
| 1982 | "Dreams Die Hard" | 15 | Morris, Gary | |
| 1983 | "Velvet Chains" | 9 | Why Lady Why | |
| 1983 | "Why Lady Why" | 4 | Why Lady Why | |
| 1983 | "The Love She Found In Me" | 5 | Why Lady Why | |
| 1983 | "Wind Beneath My Wings" | 4 | Why Lady Why | |
| 1983 | "You're Welcome to Tonight" (with Lynn Anderson) | 9 | Back (Lynn Anderson album) | |
| 1984 | "Baby Bye Bye" | #1 | Faded Blue | |
| 1984 | "Between Two Fires" | 7 | Faded Blue | |
| 1984 | "Second Hand Heart" | 7 | Faded Blue | |
| 1985 | "Lasso the Moon" | 9 | Hits | |
| 1985 | "I'll Never Stop Loving You" | #1 | Anything Goes | |
| 1986 | "100% Chance of Rain" | #1 | Anything Goes | |
| 1986 | "Anything Goes" | 28 | Anything Goes | |
| 1986 | "Leave Me Lonely" | #1 | Plain Brown Wrapper | |
| 1986 | "Honeycomb" | 27 | Plain Brown Wrapper | |
| 1987 | "Plain Brown Wrapper" | 9 | Plain Brown Wrapper | |
| 1987 | "Finishing Touches" | 64 | Hits |
[edit] Selected Albums
| Year | Album | U.S. Country Position | |
| 1981 | Morris, Gary | - | |
| 1983 | Why Lady Why | 6 | |
| 1984 | Faded Blue | 12 | |
| 1985 | Anything Goes | #1 | |
| 1986 | Plain Brown Wrapper | 9 | |
| 1987 | Hits | 24 | |
| 1988 | Every Christmas | 56 | |
| 1989 | Stones | 40 | |
| 1991 | Full Moon, Empty Heart | - |
