Denroy Morgan (15 May 1945 – 3 March 2022) was a Jamaican-born American reggae artist. Morgan traveled to the United States in 1965, at the age of 20, to become a musician. He was part of the formation of the Black Eagles, a New York City reggae band in the 1970s, before launching a prosperous solo career in the 1980s onwards. His children, encouraged by his success, have also taken on musical careers themselves including Laza Morgan, Gramps Morgan, and in family bands LMS and Morgan Heritage.

In the Black Eagles

Morgan had started in the 1970s and created the Black Eagles, a reggae band in New York City in 1974 with Devon "Igo Levi" Foster and Llewellyn "Jah T" Breadwood.

The Black Eagles won the New York Reggae Music Festival in 1977, beginning Denroy's rise to fame that continued into the early 1980s. In 1981, Morgan had his most successful release with "I'll Do Anything For You", which featured musical backing from the Black Eagles and peaked at number nine on the American soul chart.[1] "I'll Do Anything For You" also peaked at number seven on the dance charts.[2] These successes helped to launch his solo reggae career.

Solo career

Morgan found success in the States in 1981 with the release of his I'll Do Anything for You album, when the title track became a big R&B and Dance hit. In the realm of reggae, however, Morgan's peak period was when he signed in 1984 with RCA Records. That deal led to the release of the reggae album Make My Day and marked him as the first reggae artist to be signed to RCA Records.

In March 2014 he announced that he was working on a new album, Half N Half, featuring cover versions of Bob Marley songs and excerpts from speeches by Haile Selassie, as well as working on an updated version of his memoirs, Confession Aloud.[3]

Personal life

Morgan died from cancer at his home in Lawrenceville, Georgia, on March 3, 2022.[4]

Musical legacy

His children were all musical growing up and have since formed two separate bands and one is a successful solo act.

  • The reggae band Morgan Heritage is made up of his children Peter "Peetah" Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy "Gramps" Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan and Memmalatel "Mr. Mojo" Morgan.
  • The dancehall / hip hop band LMS is made up of his children, the trio Noshayah Morgan, Otiyah "Laza" Morgan and Miriam Morgan
  • Otiyah Morgan known as Laza Morgan is also a solo act with singles like "This Girl" and "One by One" the latter featuring Mavado. Other famous collaborations include being featured in Alexandra Burke's hit "Start Without You" and in Kristina Maria release "Co-Pilot"
  • Roy Morgan known as Gramps Morgan, in addition to being of Morgan Heritage, is also a successful solo act with two albums Two Sides of My Heart and Reggae Music Lives and was featured in India.Arie hit song "Therapy".
  • Roy "Gramps" Morgan's son Jemere Morgan has also launched a solo music career.[5] His debut single "First Kiss" was released in August 2011.

Discography

Albums

  • Johnny B Good Tonite (1982)
  • I'll Do Anything For You (1981)
  • Make My Day (1984)
  • I'll Do Anything For You / Sweet Tender Love (1990) ROHIT Records
  • Salvation (1998)

[6]

References

  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 414.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 182.
  3. ↑ Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2014) ". In October 2016 he headlined the Gala Opening of the Peter Tosh Museum in Kingston, Jamaica. Before the close of 2016 he was awarded for Community Service in Harlem, NY. In April 2017 he released his return album MUZICAL UNITY distributed by VPAL and in June 2017, he reformed his band the Black Eagles. Shortly after they headlined the 26th International African Arts Festival in July & the Wingate Concert Series in August where he was awarded the key to the City of Brooklyn and he appeared numerous times in the NY and New England area. Denroy Looks to the East", Jamaica Observer, 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014
  4. ↑ "Reggae singer Denroy Morgan has died". Loop Jamaica. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  5. ↑ Henry, Davina (2012) "Chatting With Gramps", Jamaica Gleaner, 2 July 2012, retrieved 2012-07-03
  6. ↑ Denroy Morgan discography @Discogs.com Retrieved 1-14-2012.
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