Lee Morgan

‘Some people are saying it is country music, I would call it a soulful sort of rock’

Lee Morgan is looking forward to showcasing his original brand of music tonight.
LEE Morgan is a familiar face at pubs around Warrnambool, revving up crowds with covers of rock ’n’ roll favorites. But tonight will be a rare chance to see Morgan in full flight, playing his own original songs with a backing band. Tonight’s gig will be the second in a regular fortnightly event at the Gallery nightclub to showcase Warrnambool’s young musical talent. Morgan will be joined on stage tonight by Mixbowl (fresh from recording sessions at Motherlode studios), Toe-jam and newcomers No Exit. The singer-songwriter says he has great fun playing covers solo for pub crowds, butplaying his own songs is definitely preferable. Young original talent in the Warrnambool region sometimes gets lost in a scene that is so dominated by cover
bands, which is why theThursday night Gallery gigs are so important. Cover bands will be appearing, but anyone with original
material will have an opportunity to play it. “I think it’s agreat initiative”. Morgan takes every opportunity he can to play original
music, including festivals, benefit concerts and pub gigs in Melbourne. The Australian Roots MusicAwards male artist of the yearsays he takes on a lot of different influences to create his musical style. “Some people are saying it iscountry music, I would call it a soulful sort of rock.” Morgan says his songs come out of his own experiences. “I just write as an individual, I’m not political. “I write about things that mean something to me at the time, I definitely write about reconciliation — I know what
I feel in my heart.” After producing only a handful of copies of his debut CD, Laura Lee and the Stranger, Morgan says he still has enough material to fill several albums — as for many other artists, it’s a matter of finance. He says he’ll continue performing
around Warrnambool and taking on as many opportunities as possible to showcase his own songs — in the south-west, Melbourne or wherever he’s invited to play.

- Warrnambool Standard

Award winning Shipwreck coast country soul singer Lee Morgan has overcome the loss and recovery of his cherished Akita hunting dog to land a plum performing role.
Lee will play guitar with Lost In Suburbia when they open the show tomorrow night for the legendary Amazing Rhythm Aces at the Lady Bay Hotel in Warrnambool.[note - photo shows Lee Morgan, left, with 3 members of the Amazing Rhythm Aces]

Morgan was voted best male vocalist in the Australian Roots Music Awards in Warrnambool for his song Midnight Train from debut disc Laura Lee And The Stranger.
That was shortly after his prize hound disappeared from his East Malvern city digs and was found five weeks later in Box Hill.
Morgan, grandson of the famed Framlingham elder Banjo Clarke, was a member of heavy metal band Talisen before choosing to write more roots material.
The soulful singer penned a brace a country and soul tunes while juggling a solo career with a role in Koorie band Jarrah who have also released an album of original material.
Lee has sourced much of his best original material from the grandeur of the Great Southern Ocean, the coastal suburbs of Warrnambool and his Gunditjamara Land ancestral roots.
Morgan’s inspired writing and performing landed him a summer season at the Seanchai Irish pub - a noisy but cosy bar opposite Francis Neoh’s world famous Malaysia Restaurant in the bowels of the tourist strip in the bible belt capital.
Lee is guest guitarist with Lost In Suburbia, founded by Nevada bassist Peter Bird and axeman Trevor McKenzie, and once featuring former T-Bones and original Slap N The Cats drummer Rowan Keert.
The band, who have the luxury of Bird’s award winning studio for recording, blame their pedal steel player Murray McDowell for their infrequent gigs.
McDowell, a milk tanker driver, is only available when the Aussie dairy season slackens off - yes, the lower milk yields in summer have made this gig possible.
Morgan, a guest DJ on Nu Country last week, will return soon to host a homegrown and international show at the controversial Beer Can Hill station.
The Aces also appear the Continental Café in downtown Prahran on Friday and Saturday to promote 11th album Chock Full Of Country Goodness which has won widespread airplay on Nu Country and the more discerning shows on PBS and RRR.
Members of the band are likely to return for live interviews on all three stations this week - their final gig is at a Lancefield winery on Sunday.

- David Dawson

Awarded Male Artists of the Year at the Australian Roots Music Awards in January 1999, Lee has definitely made his mark in the Australian music industry.

Born on Framlingham Aboriginal mission, South-Western Victoria, Lee began playing guitar at the age of 11, seventeen years later, he has developed into an outstanding singer, songwriter and guitar player and a wonderful high energy performer.
One of three children, Lee grew up at Framlingham Aboriginal mission beside the Hopkins River. His grandfather, Banjo Clarke, taught him about his culture. Having a father of European descent and an Aboriginal mother taught Lee a great lesson in respecting people and their beliefs.

Lee's first job was as an Aboriginal Education Officer, a position he held for five years before turning to music seriously as a profession. In 1991, Lee won his heat of the Australian Rebel Yell Guitar Challenge. In 1993 Lee participated in the Songlines Pilot Course under the guidance of Richard Frankland and Tony Norris at the Southwest Institute of TAFE in Warrnambool.
Moving to Melbourne in 1994 has created many opportunities for Lee and has raised his profile in the Australian music industry. He has recorded five independent releases with Taliesin, Colors and Jarrah. His debut solo album Laura Lee and the Stranger and Jarrah's second album was released in 1999.

Lee has toured with Midnight Oil, Shane Howard, Tiddas, Nocturnal, Archie Roach and Weddings Parties Anything. He recently toured country Victoria promoting the Indigenous Youth Land Council. Lee has also played guitar on Ruby Hunter's record produced by Mushroom records.

- Lore of The Land

“Lee Morgan – Grandson of ‘Wisdom Man’ Uncle Banjo Clarke, this ‘master shredder’ has nothing to do with Ninja Turtles.
Morgan’s rockin’ band did well to keep up with his blistering guitar work. Word-of-mouth had spread by Sunday arvo and the packed pub crowd was blown away”. Chris Lambie “Forte Magazine”

- Forte Magazine

"...with young indigenous singer-songwriter Lee Morgan" - The Age

0ne Movement For Music Perth (0MFM)
launched a new music industrv conference and
music showcase on OctoberlSth and announced
the winner 0f the new created Australian indiqenous Music Scholarship (Allt¡S).
As the winner of AIMS, Lee Morgan will
receive a major artist development pacKaqe
including the chance to record a full album
with a professional producer, manufacturing,
distribution and marketing ofthe album
Morgan said, "lt's excitinq that the 0ne
Movement Festival recoqnises the importance
of hosting such a positive platform for
lndiqenous artists from all around Australia
to participate ¡n, and to share their music and
stories with others."
AII¡5 attracted a hìgh calibre of Australian
lndiqenous Musicians, including statewinners:
Western Australia- Thaylia, Queensland - Max
ludo, New South Wales - Brothablack, Victoria -
Lee Morgan and South Australia - The MERRg
The pioneerinq partnership between 0MFM and
Western Australia's Department 0f Indiqenous
Affairwill return in 20'10 - Music Network Magazine