Dad, I wish I could see you and your brothers playing together again

A couple weeks ago on Father’s Day, my cousin Amy posted this picture on Facebook.  My jaw literally dropped when I saw it. 

How is it that I never saw this photo before?  The oldest kid on the right is my dad!

Summer 1950, from left to right:  Uncle Mike, Uncle Shane & Dad

I was surprised and happy to see this old photo of the “original” Morris Brothers on their family farm, but when I think about their playing together, I was referring to their music.

I’ve written on here before about my dad’s musical career, but it actually began in the 1960s when he and his brothers formed a popular local group, “The Morris Brothers Band”.  They had a country rockabilly sound, and played on weekends at different clubs, lounges and public events. 

They were an annual fixture at the Greene County Fair & even recorded a couple of their earlier songs.  They sort of went their own way in the early ‘70s, and Dad pursued a more “solo” career; but my Uncle Mike started ‘The Country Rockers’, and then Dad headlined with his group.

Uncle Mike on guitar, Uncle Shane on drums & my dad who sang lead & played piano; Howard Pritchard is the the second guitar on the far right

Here’s the 45 they released in the mid-60s, “Cruel World” and a pretty frantic sounding “Rockin’ Country Fever” on the flip-side.  I’ve included links to their songs below (if you click on either 45 label).

My dad later recorded “Up My Street” and “In the Springtime”, which you can also hear by clicking on either label below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on either record to listen to the Morris Bros songs or my Dad’s singles “Up My Street” & “In the Springtime”

I think what’s really interesting is that “Country Fever” on the B side became a sort of “rockabilly cult favorite” & it’s still sold today—a copy of the 45 sold on Ebay a few months ago for $152.00!  (Click here to see it.) 

Also, I recently came across the song on these 2 compilation CDs.  (Click on either album to visit the website it’s sold from and the list of tracks per album.)

    

Truth be told, my memories of the Morris Brothers are pretty hazy;  just some vague recollections of my uncles coming to our house on Franklin Street on Saturday mornings and rehearsing, and Mom always pointing out the band’s billing for the upcoming weekend in the Friday paper.

I remember on my sixth birthday, my parents took me along to one of the Morris Brothers shows at the local Moose, and midway thru I was invited to come up on stage and belt out a godawful song I’d been rehearsing all week just for the occasion, “Who Fell Down the Well”.  

After I finished singing, Uncle Mike said “well, he’s got lungs” which cracked Dad up good!

But I can still remember all those faces in the audience, and wondering how my Dad and his brothers could stand up there & do what they did—but when I finished singing & heard that polite applause, it all made a lot more sense.