Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerald Morgan Jr..
Hi Gerald, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was involved in the arts in some form or fashion in school I believe things really started for me during the summer leading into my senior year of high school. This is when I became fully immersed in the same musical experiences that shaped my influences. At the time I was playing saxophone in Kirby High School’s marching band, the Memphis All-Star Band, becoming a gigging musician as well has singing in the choir at church. I was also teaching myself piano which also led me to learn more about music theory. I knew these skills would be necessary seeing I had aspirations to study music at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). I auditioned for scholarships to a few schools but I knew which school I wanted to go to all along.
In the fall of 2004, I began my freshman year at Jackson State University, in Jackson, Ms, to pursue a degree in music education. I spent much of my time in The F.D. Hall Music Center, affectionately known as “The Music Building”. This was my introduction to understand the inner workings of music as well as the importance of putting on a quality performance. I was in the world renowned “Sonic Boom of The South” marching band, jazz ensembles and symphonic wind ensemble as well. Outside of the music department I was still exploring the arts. I had a chance to play in a few bands around I was a founding member of “Outspoken Arts Collective” JSU’s first official poetry group. I also performed in a couple of student directed plays, one supporting role and one lead role. I also had the pleasure of providing a music cue for one of MADDRAMA’s productions, JSU’s theatre organization. In May of 2009, I graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Music Education concentrating in both instrumental education and jazz education.
In August of 2009, I took my first job as a music educator as a band director in Yazoo City, Ms. In 2o11, I returned to Memphis and continued my journey in education as an Orff (elementary) music teacher with Memphis City Schools. During that time I also returned by to my roots singing in the choir and gigging on saxophone and piano around the city. In 2016 both resigned from Shelby County Schools and took a break from gigging to take some time to figure some things out. In 2020, I left the education field altogether. After some time passed, life had been lived and experience gained, I returned to Memphis-Shelby County Schools in 2023 and I’ve become an Orff teacher again and have become active in the arts scene in the city,
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Most things we desire come with challenges. My biggest obstacle has been how I viewed the challenges. I had yet to resonate with the phrase “Every ‘no’ is leading me to a ‘yes’. Those just sounded like cool words until I realized as long as I have a pulse, there’s a “yes” somewhere nearby. These days I believe “Either I win or I learn, I only fail when I don’t learn.” Before adopting that philosophy, everything that wasn’t a win felt like coming in 4th place, no trophy, no one calls your name, you just go home.
When the pandemic hit, like many people, my life flashed before my eyes. I left the classroom and decided to become a full-time musician….when the world stopped. At the time I couldn’t see myself being as both a performer and an educator.
During this time I became a mental health advocate. I figured it was best to start with myself before I started advocating for others. During this time I learned how grief and trauma and warp your perception. It was then I learned, the other obstacle was “me”, that’s a completely different article.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My line of work? My short answer is I’m an entertainer. My peers usually won’t allow me to give the short answer. Being my peers, they either fill in the gaps or they add things that nowhere near my skillset just to be funny. I am a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer and producer. I play saxophone, flute, a little chromatic harmonica, piano, organ, auxiliary percussion. Like many singers and musicians in Memphis, I have performed covers from many different artists. I have a wide vocal range, spanning close to five octaves, which gives me room to do some pretty cool things with my voice when I perform.
Outside of the realm of performing music, I’m an actor. Most of my acting has been done through church productions but I had the opportunity to be in a few skits as part of other creative’s projects. I enjoy both comedic and dramatic roles, each on brings something out of me. Last but certainly not least, I cohost The Radio-Memphis Live Music Hour, an internet-radio show that is broadcasted in 160 different countries with the amazing Tundrea Lyons-Brock, who’s article I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
The role of luck has a unique place in my journey. I feel lucky that I was able to learn some things at a young age.
I learned I could teach myself how to do things. I learned how things can influence each other and intertwine when you connect the dots.
I realized there was music in the voice, even when we aren’t singing. This lead me to try things with my voice which lead me to doing impressions. The impressions range from cartoon characters, live action characters, celebrities and even people I knew personally. Re-enacting entire scenes or telling stories while doing these impressions, sometimes multiple characters, taught me vocal inflections, accents, comedic timing, dramatic effect and other things I wouldn’t actual use until many years later.
When I was younger I started teaching myself piano. When I got in the band, I was able to take what I learned on saxophone and apply it to both piano and my voice. When I got to college, we had to learn the basic of all instruments and the voice. I was able to take what I learned on saxophone and it taught me to play flute and a little clarinet. I took my self-taught piano skills to my piano classes and was able to further them by taking jazz piano. This lead me to be able to play just about any genre of music on whichever instrument I chose to play it on.
