Derrick Morgan
Derrick was born March 1940, in the district of Stewarton in the Parish of Clarendon, Mocho Clarendon. Before migrating to Kingston to reside with his mother, Mable Gayle, Derrick spent three years in the countryside. at the age of three, Derrick's auntie put him on a donkey to ride him to his other aunt, Nomy. They caught the train and journeyed to town. There, Derrick reunited with his mother at Parade, who was doing domestic work for a family. Derrick's mother had him feel ice for the very first time, and he quickly dropped the ice, for it burned his hands as fire. Derrick and his mother later arrived in Orange Lane, where he attended Almond Town Junior School. At the age of eleven, Derrick transferred to Kingston Senior until his graduation.
During his childhood Derrick was exposed to many forms of music. His musical exposure ranged from vibrant choir and tambourine of his church, where his father was a deacon, to the raw rhythms of New Orleans rhythm and blues, which could be picked up on the island from the radio stations across the Caribbean Sea.
Derrick's interest for music grew rapidly. In 1957, at the early age of 17, Derrick decided to fully commit himself to the musical art. There was the famous Vere John's Opportunity Show at the Palace Theatre in Kingston. Derrick jumped at the opportunity and entered the talent show. Despite other superb competitors, Eric "Monty" Morris, Owen Gray, and Wilfred "Jackie" Edwards, Derrick victoriously mesmerised the audience with his unchallenged versions of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and "Jenny Jenny." Derrick's performance was so enticing, that the attention of the comedy duo, Bim & Bam, was captured. Derrick would perform shows with Bim & Bam over the next two years, singing at their popular variety shows around the island.
In 1959, Derrick kept hearing recordings of his musical companions, Laurel Aitken, (Joe) Higgs and (Roy) Wilson, Wilfred "Jackie" Edwards and Owen Gray over the air waves. Derrick became upset because his companions would not reveal how to get recorded. Finally, Derrick set out on his own mission, for it was time to cut a record for himself.
Derrick heard of an acclaimed sound systems operator, Duke Reid, who was looking for artists to record on his Treasure Isle label. Derrick wrote and performed two songs, "Lover Boy" (aka "S. Corner Rock") and "Oh My," which Duke Reid decided to record. The songs played on the radio and became popular with the listening audiences. Derrick auditioned for another producer, L.S. "Little Wonder" Smith. The song auditioned and recorded was "Fat Man," which became an immediate hit on the island. From then on there was no looking back for Derrick. Many producers sought after Derrick, eager to cash in on the singer's popularity. Derrick recorded a few more songs with Smith before recording for the legendary Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. Hits continued to follow Derrick such as "Leave Earth" and "Wigger Wee Shuffle."
Derrick had now become the hottest artist on the island, and worked his way into being considered the King of Ska. Derrick may have captured his throne as the King of Ska in 1960, through the feat of becoming the first and only Jamaican artist to date, to have held the Number 1 to 7 slots in the top ten at one time. Among such hits are "Be Still," "In My Heart," "Don't Call Me Daddy," and "Meekly Wait and Murmur Not." Derrick continued his reign in 1961 when he recorded his biggest hit of all time, "Housewives' Choice." "Housewives' Choice" was number one during the time when Derrick had seven records in the top ten in Jamaica. In the early days, singers like Derrick Morgan would only usually recieve a flat payment of 10.00 pounds per record side, a clear incentive to record as often and for as many different producers as possible. Originally an untitled blank disc of the music was submitted to the radio stations for airplay. This song garnered so many requests on Marie Garth's JBC show that producer Leslie Kong knew what to call it. Prince Buster considered that Headley Bennett's alto sax solo copied one that was played for him by Lester Sterling on "They Got To Come" (Buster's first vocal track in which Derrick helped him create). A musical feud started between Buster and Derrick, in which Buster accused Derrick of stealing his ideas and giving them to Leslie Kong, thus becoming a "Black Head Chiney Man." Needless to say Derrick immediately responded proclaiming to be a "Blazing fire" and getting "No Raise No Praise." By the beginning of 1963, the dispute between rival fans had grown so serious that the newly-formed Jamaican Government was forced to intervene to cease the rivalry. They arranged for the two men to be pictured together for the press and issued a statement saying that despite the rhetoric of the songs, the two were really the best of friends.
During August of 1962, Jamaica attained its independence, and Derrick recorded the first independence song challengingly called "Forward March," in which he played a neutral source in carrying the message of unity towards the peopleand politicians. The King made certain that the foundation and influence of Jamaican music would continue to grow strongly.
In 1966, Derrick created the first Rock Steady form of Jamaican music, "Tougher Than Tough." Within this song, Derrick acts the part of the fearsome Judge Dread, handing out sentences to rude boys, played by Desmond and George Dekker. Derrick continued with his bold creativity that has left a marking influence on the Jamaican music as we know it. "Went To The Hop" was the forst song with an electric bass guitar; "Blazing Fire" was the first song to use an electric piano; "Love Not To Brag" was the first song with a duet female artist, Millicent "Patsy" Todd; and "Seven Letters" the first reggae song (produced along with Bunny "Striker" Lee). Derrick went on to create another form on Jamaican music known as "Pop A Top."
A pious and heartfelt man, Derrick Morgan wanted others to flourish within the harsh musical world, and thus went out to coach and produce some of Jamaica's greatest: Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley ("Judge Not"), Max Romeo (1971 No. 1 hit "Let the Power Fall On I" and "Children Don't Weep," a hit in British Guyana) and the late Garnet Silk along with Tony Rebel (with their hot selling album Tony Rebel Meets Garnet Silk In A Dancehall Conference).
Derrick Morgan's influence is very strong as proven in a farewell concert in 1963 at Jamaica's Palace Theatre, which was filled to capacity. In a concert in Germany, housing over 40,000 people chanted, "Derrick Morgan is God." White Supremacist skinheads declared Derrick Morgan as being the only black person they would love. They outright consider his song "Moon Hop" (another great hit entering the British Charts up to the low twenties) as their national song. In response, Derrick used his music to promote unity, in order ro break down the barrier of racial prejudice among all groups. Regardless of Derrick's impairing handicap of blindness, he continues to tour internationally, around the world: Germany, Holland, England, Canada, Africa, America and Jamaican.
An Interview With Derrick Morgan
