Al "Flying Fingers" Morgan (November 14, 1915 – November 18, 1989) was a popular nightclub singer, pianist and composer who is known for his hit recordings "

Jealous Heart "Jealous Heart" is a classic C&W song written by American country music singer-songwriter Jenny Lou Carson. In the mid 1940s it spent nearly six months on the Country & Western charts. It was subsequently recorded by several pop singers. E ...

", "I'll Take Care Of Your Cares," and "The Place Where I Worship."

Early life and career

Albert Louis Morgan was born in Cincinnati and raised in nearby Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. Morgan's musical foundation started at the Ninth Street Baptist Church in his hometown. Morgan's mother's plan was for him to be a preacher. His church sent him to Denison University on a scholarship, but Morgan soon discovered that he was "put on this earth to play and sing, not to preach." As the back cover of his religious album, The Place Where I Worship states: "…until he was twenty-one, practically all of his musical experience was in the sacred field of music." He then studied violin and voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory and received his master's degree from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. His piano playing was self-taught. Some of his first shows were as a piano sideman in the big band years playing with Glen Miller and Harry James among others. After the Pearl Harbor attack, he served as a rear gunner on

B-17 The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

sKaspar Monahan, Al Morgan in Love With Our Town, Pittsburg Press, October 13, 1954 in the

US Army Air Force The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

during

WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

.William J. Conway, Associated Press Correspondent, Chicago, December 10, Toledo Blade, December 11, 1949, Corns on his fingers put cash in bank for pianist Al Morgan He spent considerable time in Europe putting on shows at American installations and base hospitals. After his discharge he returned to Cincinnati. He conducted the staff band at WKRC and had several weekly radio shows. Morgan got his start in show business by playing on the boats that travel up and down the Ohio River near his home-town of Cincinnati. Morgan also bought his own night spot in Cincinnati, the Club Carasal. While working at the Club Carasal, Morgan decided that he would join the entertainment. He became so popular, he decided that he should go on the road.

''The Al Morgan Show''

In November 1946, he gave up his radio job, sold the Club Carasal, and headed for New York. He did a long stretch at Rogers Corner Theater Lounge, a spot across the street from

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

. Then he traveled to Chicago. He was booked in Chicago at Helsing's Vodvil Lounge at Sheridan and Montrose on the city's north side. The manager booked him, sight-unseen, thinking he was a comedian. He didn't laugh, however, when Morgan sat down at the piano and started playing. That led to ''

The Al Morgan Show ''The Al Morgan Show'' is an American variety program broadcast on the DuMont Television Network from 1949 to 1951. The series starred pianist and songwriter Al Morgan. Format Morgan performed for most of the program, which also featured the B ...

'', Morgan's half-hour television show, backed by the Billy Chandler Trio, broadcasting from Helsing's. The show was on the DuMonte Television Network, from 1949 to 1951; one of the first shows to be syndicated. In 1952, Morgan was back in Cincinnati, broadcasting his show from WLW Television. While playing in Wisconsin Morgan had the idea to make a big band arrangement of the

Jenny Lou Carson Jenny Lou Carson, (January 13, 1915 – December 16, 1978), born Virginia Lucille Overstake, was an American country music singer-songwriter and the first woman to write a No. 1 country music hit. From 1945 to 1955 she was one of the most prolifi ...

song, "

". Rumor has it that Morgan first sang "Jealous Heart" as a part of a medley in his act. That song, recorded in Chicago and released on

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

in 1949, became a local hit.

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

in England was starting a new label called

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

and deal was struck to release "Jealous Heart" on London.

Jealous Heart

"Jealous Heart" (a cover of the

country song) was released in 1949 and was his biggest hit, said to have sold in excess of 12 million copies. Morgan performed at various theaters, churches, supper clubs and Las Vegas concert halls for over 40 years, and continued to perform until his death in 1989. He was one of the first musicians to have his own syndicated television show. He is best known for his flamboyant style of piano playing where he would raise his hands over his shoulders and flop them down on the keys, hitting all the correct notes, earning him the title, "Flying Fingers."

Late career

Morgan continued to record for the length of his career. Morgan recorded over 50 songs for London Records and recorded for most of the major labels including Columbia, Mercury, Decca and RCA subsidiary "X". Morgan's recordings for London were pressed internationally including England, Canada, Germany, Australia and South Africa. Later in his career Morgan recorded for smaller independent labels such as Crystal, and Jewel. In 1961 he had a nightly live radio show performing from 11:30 pm to 12, on

WTAQ WTAQ (1360 AM) and WTAQ-FM (97.5 FM) are conservative news/talk-formatted radio stations, licensed to Green Bay, Wisconsin (AM) and Glenmore, Wisconsin (FM), that serve the Green Bay and Appleton- Oshkosh areas. The stations are owned by Mid ...

, broadcasting from LaGrange, Illinois.

Death

In 1989, Morgan performed at the Olympic Theater in Cicero, Illinois for his video, In Concert at the Olympic Theater on Memorial Day, May 28, 1989. The show ended with 3 songs all containing the word "jealous" and ending with "Jealous Heart." This could have been the medley that started his career, and the last recording that Morgan made. Morgan was performing at Noodles Restaurant when he died on Saturday, November 18, 1989 in Loyola's McGaw Hospital in Maywood, Illinois.George Papajohn, Chicago Tribune, obituary November 21, 1989 He was survived by his wife Janice, 7 sons and a daughter Michelle.

Personal life

While on tour in New York's Rogers' Corner, he met and later married the cashier. His third wife Janice was also a singer and musician who would perform with Morgan on stage. Janice recorded under her maiden name, Jan Nixon and later Jan Morgan. On her album, ''That's Why I Smile'' she sings 4 duets with her husband Al.

References

External links

Al Morgan on Discogs
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Chicago Tribune Highlighting Al Morgan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Al 1915 births 1989 deaths American pianists Musicians from Chicago Eastman School of Music alumni American male pianists 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists