Still going strong today at age 80, Dick Morgan is a great jazz ambassador whose appeal extends to young and old alike. He has performed with everyone from Joe Williams to Frank Sinatra, Etta Jones, Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd.
On Sunday, Oct. 12 jazz lovers in Delaware will have the chance to see and hear Morgan leading “The Dick Morgan Quartet” at the Smyrna Opera House at 3 p.m.
To quote Sandy Ingham of allaboutjazz.com, “He may be the best pianist you’ve never heard of unless you spent some time in the nation’s capital searching out its jazz haunts.”
Morgan’s personal story is just as impressive as his 60-year musical career. Born during the Depression in Petersburg, Virginia, Dick learned to play the piano in church and amazed adults by showing he could play anything he heard. While working as a shoeshine boy at the tender age of 10, he was discovered by a local radio station and soon was playing with established jazz artists stationed at nearby Fort Lee.
“Until then, my thing was just playing what I heard,” said Morgan. “They taught me how to play jazz. I was lucky to have learned from the best.”
As a teenage prodigy Morgan was brought in to play for Duke Ellington who had heard of the young pianist’s talents. The well-known bandleader noted, “Keep doing what you’re doing.” That fleeting moment remains one of his treasured memories.
At the age of 45, Morgan made a conscious decision to radically change his life direction. He entered Antioch University and obtained a BA. Not content to leave it at that and urged on by one of his fans, Bill Cosby, he went back to school and earned a law degree from Howard University.
Now based in Washington, Morgan performs regularly at such renowned venues as the Kennedy Center and Blues Alley.
Tickets for adults are $12.50 in advance or $15 at the door. Tickets for children 12 and under and students with valid IDs are $5. All seats are general admission.
For tickets or more information, call the Opera House box office 302-653-4236, visit online www.smyrnaoperahouse.org or stop by Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Smyrna Opera House is located on the corner of Main and South streets in downtown Smyrna, with the entrance on South Street.
