Oliver Morgan
Oliver Morgan, a 9th Ward New Orleans character and R&B performer for many years died in 2007 at age 74. Although a local recording act, and figure in regional clubs & festivals for over 40 years, his only full album release, didn't occur until the late 1990's when Allen Toussaint recorded a collection of Morgan doing faves by Lee Dorsey, Joe Tex, and of course songs written by Toussaint himself.
He started his recording career in 1961, actually billed as "Nookie Boy", a nickname his auntie had tagged him with as a boy. After his days on the chitlin circuit opening for Wilson Pickett, Don Covay and Jerry Butler, he was a longtime janitor at NOLA's City Hall, married just shy of 50 years, and who counted some 19 grandchildren amongst his brood.
He was known for dancing with an umbrella on stage, his corny catch phrases delivered in a sand papered drawl, whose jubilant presence always seemed ready to lead a second line parade. Never a huge draw, Morgan was usually added to bills in his 60's heyday, spicing up the wait time to see headlining acts like Otis Redding, Fats Domino & Lee Dorsey. In 1969, Oliver Morgan released the single 'I Love Rhythm & Blues' . Back in the day, Morgan was known for carrying an umbrella and leading folks on parades outside the venues, and down blocks. Local Rick Coleman recounted a tale told by Morgan in his mid 90's NYNO album liner notes:
" Once at the Masque Lounge ," smiles Oliver mischievously, " i used to bring all the people down along the Chef Menteur Highway, man, and block all the traffic up! The police came there and said, 'Oliver, man, bring 'em in the club!"
Oliver Morgan's biggest hit, which is not exactly a well known tune outside New Orleans, was 'Who Shot La La', a 1963 track recorded about the death of another New Orleans character Lawrence Nelson aka "Prince La La". The song speculate's about about a supposed murder including the lyric "There are only three fellas do a thing like that, High Head, Joe Mouth and my brother John!"
He lived in Nawlin's his whole life, until the levees built and supposedly maintained by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, failed and flooded his 9th Ward home off of North Claiborne, forcing him to relocate to Atlanta.
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