| The 1920's ushered
into American culture many of this century's greatest sounds. This
was a period when general consumer items were mass-produced and made
affordable to the common family. Phonographs and radios developed a
demand for radio performers and recording artists. Ruralists saw the
beginning of the acceptance of their music into larger markets in the
twenties. In 1923 the first "hillbilly" record was recorded in
Atlanta, Georgia. It was Fiddlin' John Carson who performed "Log
Cabin in the Lane" and "The Old Hen Cackle". Two
southern radio powerhouses featuring live entertainment, WSB Atlanta,
Georgia, and WSM Nashville, Tennessee, opened their airwaves. Many
historians recognize 1927 as the beginning of country music in the
recording industry, with the release of "Weeping Willow" by
the Carter Family, and "Sleep, Baby Sleep" by Jimmie Rodgers.
The year of 1927 also marks the beginning of
country's first gospel group, The Morris Family. The Carter Family had a
tremendous influence on us, according to Fanny Lou Morris Ringeisen,
member of the original Morris Family. The new country releases
encouraged our family to work at their music and songs. The Morris
Family began their playing and singing, as with many others of the era
did, within the influence of their warm home and church environments, in
and around Lumpkin County, Georgia. Since the family patriarch was also
a minister of the gospel, this made their brand of homestyle pickin' and
singin' extra special. Joining in at the old time singing conventions
provided a wealth of experience for the family. At that time, the Morris
Family band included Rev. Frank Morris, who played the mandolin, Fanny
Lou Morris Ringeisen, who played the guitar, and Girlie Jean Morris who
played the banjo.
Rev. Frank Morris was the pastor of
Wahoo Baptist Church, one of North Georgia's oldest churches, formed in
1819. The good association of Rev. Morris with other churches
throughout the lower Appalachians, along with his closeness to many of
Georgia's political personalities, assisted the Morris Family in
securing performances at political rallies, church services, and
community events. His sister, Fanny Lou Morris Ringeisen,
contributed much to the early sound of the Morris family. She
borrowed twenty-five dollars from her brother, Herbert Morris, who was
then in the U.S. Navy, to purchase a Washburn guitar to play in the
band. She still cherishes that guitar in her home in Albuquerque,
New Mexico, as she does the banjo which was played by her niece, Girlie
Jean. Since Girlie Jean was only eight years old at the beginning
of their musical career, many times the heavy banjo would have to be
placed on a stool so Girlie Jean could play it. In the early days
of radio, the Morris Family found their music in demand by the radio
audience.
They made regular visits to two Georgia
radio stations from which their programs were heard, WTFL of Toccoa,
Georgia, and Atlanta's WSB, a 50,000-watt giant. The groups appearances
spurred the interest of the owners of Vocalion Records, the
Brunswich-Balke-Collendar Company, and on March 20, 1930, the Morris
Family recorded their first songs at the WSB Biltmore Hotel Studio. They
recorded "Oh Mary Don't You Weep", "He Rose
Unknown", "A Dream of Home", and "Will it Be
You". These songs were released nationally by Vocalion Records.
Original Morris Family 1920's
As the years progressed through the
Great Depression, younger members of the family became involved in
music. Miss Frankie Morris began playing the piano. As
brothers Herb, Homer, Vaughan and Gene grew, they began playing various
instruments and harmonizing together and by the early 1940's, they could
really sing a song. In 1944, after a long illness, Rev. Frank
Morris went home to be with Jesus. This was a great loss to this
family and especially to these four young boys. But by God's
grace, they were able to continue, as dad would have wanted them to
do. In March 1945, brothers Herb, Homer and Vaughan decided to
continue performing as the
Morris Brothers. They added Henry Moss, a young fellow from North
Carolina, as a tenor singer and mandolin player. Henry later
married original Morris Family member, Girlie Jean Morris.
Morris Brothers at WLAQ
in 1948
The Morris Brothers continued in the
tradition of their family, performing at schoolhouses, community centers
and singings. The Morris Brothers show was on the airways in
Georgia. The group began at WGGA in Gainesville in 1945 and
1946. The band then moved to the big city of Atlanta and appeared
daily on WGST. During this period, the Morris Brothers program was
broadcast live each morning at 6:00 AM and Bill and Earl Bolick, the
Blue Sky Boys, were broadcast at 7:00 AM. Later, the Morris
Brothers moved to Rome, Georgia, to WLAQ, where they remained until
1949. After leaving Rome, Georgia, the brothers left radio and
performed only on stage. For several years during this time Homer
and Vaughan made up the duet portion of the Morris Brothers show.
The next few years saw the family spread about throughout the
country. Homer answered God's call to preach the gospel and
entered school at Tennessee Temple. Vaughan and Herb entered the
business world in Atlanta, Georgia. Gene went into the U.S.
Army. After Homer completed college, he and his wife Pauline went
to the mission field in Mexico for several years. However, all the
boys continued to work with their music. And in 1974, the Lord
brought the brothers together again. They began to record and
perform at concerts and there was a renewal of their radio program in
different parts of the country. The big difference from their
radio program of earlier years was that this time it was on tape and on
several radio stations daily. No more getting out of bed at 4:00
AM to make a 6:00 AM live broadcast. My, my, what a country.
 Gene
and Vaughan went home to be with Jesus in the mid 1970's. They
are still missed so very much, but this family is awaiting the great
family reunion when we all will be together forever to sing as a family
again around the throne of God. Life has been wonderful to this
family, and in spite of the ups and downs of life's road, they have been
able to laugh as well as cry. Thank God for the humor as well as
the hardships.
Homer and Vaughan 1949
It's good to look back on the times
when they were kids living in North Georgia. Herb and Homer along
with cousin Ira, roaming the pastures and hillsides, coming upon a tree
that was tempting to climb. Herb and Ira were trying to talk Homer
into climbing the tree...Persimmons
or some treasure was in the tree they wanted to reach...well, it was a
long way from the ground to the treasure, and no elevator or
ladder...Herb and Ira gave their solemn word that if Homer fell, they
would surely catch him. Well, with assurance like that how can you
fail?...rather, how can you fall? But fall Homer did...and where
were Herb and Ira? Well, need we finish the story? Just in
case you are interested, sure enough, a limb broke and down comes
Homer...not in the arms of Herb and Ira, mind you. But in the arms
of solid mother earth..banged...bruised...battered.
Then there was the time Rev. Morris
had a beautiful and prized bean field he had planted and worked so hard
to raise. Well, as he was going into town one day, he left
instructions for Herb and Homer to put poison on his beans to kill the
beetles. As it turned out, Herb and Homer got hold of the wrong
poison...and yes, they spread it all over their dad's prized bean field
and burned his whole field of beans to nothing but dried leaves and
vines. In other words, they ruined them. I suppose it's only
by the grace of God that they didn't ruin themselves.
From 1927 to 2000, seventy-three
years...yes wonderful years of being involved in family music they
love. The present Morris Brothers group consists of Herb and
Homer, and Homer's two sons, the younger Morris Brothers, Kent and
Philip. And the one who has been there since 1945, a
brother-in-law to Herb and Homer, their buddy, Henry Moss. The
Morris brothers have recorded 14 albums, some country gospel, some
bluegrass gospel and some southern gospel, and we are making available
to our many friends and listeners some of all the different sounds this
talented group has produced over the years in this new box set.
We have carefully chosen songs and
instrumentals that cover the 73 years from 1927 to 2000, the very best
of the Morris Family and the Morris Brothers, songs you cannot get on
any other product. The brothers have had their music distributed
to radio stations nationwide for the past 25 years, also some singles
have been released in foreign countries.
Wherever the Morris Brothers go with
their music, they are received with love and respect. They can
boast of having good friends north, east, south and west, who respond to
their brand of singing the good old gospel songs with great enthusiasm
just like the original Morris Family was received.
The Morris Brothers Band In Concert
When you tune in your ear to this new
Morris Brothers box set you will hear a sound that has been going on for
a long, long, time...a sound that is unique to the Morris Family, and a
sound that is unique and distinctively, the sound of the Morris
Brothers.
Aunt Fanny Lou Morris Ringeisen, and
the Morris Brothers' sister, Frankie Morris Smith, are the only living
members of the original Morris Family as of this writing. Aunt
Fanny Lou lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and at 92 years young, is
such a wonderful blessing to the whole Morris Family. we love you,
Aunt Fanny Lou! Sister Frankie Morris Smith lives in Marietta,
Georgia with her husband, "Smitty." They are retired and
enjoying life. She is still a mother-like sister, to Herb and
Homer, checking on them on a regular basis to make sure everything is
okay with them. She is a wonderful sister, mother and supporter of
this family's music. She is much loved. Girlie Jean Morris
Moss went home to be with Jesus two years ago. She is missed so
very much. A wonderful sister and mother, true friend to those she
knew. She is now singing with the family members who have gone to
be with Jesus as they await the remaining family members to join
them. Girlie Jean was a very musically talented lady, and was an
outstanding music writer. As you listen to "Homesick to
Go," or "Glorious Things," you will experience the great
writing talents of this dear lady.
Homer and his wife Pauline make their
home in Acworth, Georgia. Their sons Kent and Philip have been a
part of the Morris Brothers Band since they were very young boys.
Herb and his wife Virginia make their
home in Marietta, Georgia. They have three children, Ronald,
Donna, and Randall.
Georgia Governor Joe Frank
Harris Proclaiming Morris Family Week in Recognition of Their
Contributions to the Georgia Music Industry
It is our belief and prayer that
everyone who buys this new box set will be blessed by the unique sounds
of the original down home music which began in 1927 and is very much
alive today.
May the grace of God be with you
all...is our prayer.
In Jesus' Name
The Morris Brothers
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