Mike Morgan And The Crawl Ft. Anson Funderburgh, Shawn Pittman & Red Casey – The Lights Went Out In Dallas

11-05-2022

Michael Robert Morgan (born November 30, 1959 in Dallas, Texas) is an American Texas and electric blues musician. He has released a lot of albums to date, on various record labels including Rounder, Black Top and Severn Records. The majority of his releases have featured his long standing backing band, The Crawl. Morgan has played alongside Darrell Nulisch, Lee McBee, Gary Primich, and Randy McAllister. Dallas-raised guitarist, singer, and songwriter Mike Morgan formed his blues and blues-rock band in the late '80s, amid that city's still thriving nightclub scene. Morgan, who got his first guitar in elementary school, was inspired to play better guitar after hearing Stevie Ray Vaughan's debut album, "Texas Flood", in 1985. Morgan was born in Dallas, but grew up in Hillsboro, Texas. He received his first guitar at an early age, and initially concentrated on playing rock music. In 1985 he converted to blues and blues-rock, before relocating back to Dallas in 1986. There he met Darrell Nulisch, who both were founding members of The Crawl. The group was named for a Lonnie Brooks song. Mike Morgan and the Crawl earned a reputation playing around Dallas and the Fort Worth area, before Nulisch left them in 1989, to be replaced by the singer and harmonica player, Lee McBee. Following a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, their debut 1990 album, "Raw & Ready", saw them undertake national and international tours. Further albums including "Full Moon Over Dallas", and "Ain't Worried No More" ensued, before Morgan recorded without his backing group on "Let The Dogs Run" (1994) with Jim Suhler. In 1994 Mike Morgan and the Crawl appeared on the bill at the Notodden Blues Festival. Later group releases included their Black Top swansong, "I Like the Way You Work It", but at the end of the 1990s McBee left the band. Buoyed by the experience of playing behind Nulisch, Keith Dunn, and Chris Whynaught, 2000's "Texas Man" saw Morgan's vocalist debut. "Live in Dallas" (2004) followed before Morgan's latest effort, "Stronger Every Day", released in March 2008, included further accompaniment from McBee and Randy McAllister. Recent activity has seen a reduction in touring, and Morgan working as a sales manager in a Mesquite, Texas, motorcycle dealership. Mike has not been touring much since 2006. He is still playing mostly local gigs and a few scattered touring appearances. Mike is currently the sales manager at a Mesquite, TX based motorcycle dealership called "Action Suzuki / Kawasaki / Arctic Cat of Mesquite. Mike is normally doing a three piece band with the rhythm support of Kevin Schermerhorn on drums and Drew Allain on bass. "It's been 15 years since my last release "Stronger Every Day". Most of those 15 years I have been managing a motorcycle dealership in the Dallas area. During that time span I was playing mostly local gigs and very part time. I was ready for a break from the road and full time gigging. We closed the shop in 2018 and it seemed like the right time to start focusing on music again. Well ... timing is everything right ? We all know what happened in 2020 !! Gigs went away, but gave a lot more time for writing and practicing. I even learned to play the upright bass. Well ... here we are. I hope you like this batch of tunes. This recording is dedicated to the loving memory of my sweet mother Shirley Morgan. I miss you dearly !! My partner in music and dear friend; The Great Lee McBee.

My dear friend and musical inspiration, Lazy Lester. Special thanks to : Pamela Rhoades, Anson Funderburgh, Reo Casey, Shawn Pittman, Pappy Middleton, and Paul Osborne". (Mike Morgan)

1. Ding Dong Daddy 05:01

2. Please Accept My love 02:57

3. A Woman 04:46

4. Funkafacation 04:44

5. The Fracas by The Pecos 04:21

6. The Lights Went Out In Dallas 03:46

7. Aiight 04:18

8. Working For The Man 02:23

9. Out In The Jungle 04:25

10. Goin' Down to Eli's 06:37

11. Maybe 04:21

12. Lazy Lester 06:15

13. Our Last Goodbye 03:34

1. Aiight (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 4:18

2. Out In The Jungle (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 4:25

3. Maybe (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 4:21

4. Please Accept My Love (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 2:57

5. Ding Dong Daddy (Jerry McCain-McBlues Publishing BMI) 5:01

6. The Fracas By The Pecos (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 4:18

7. A Woman (Johnson,J.D.Miller-Excellorec Music BMI) 4:47

8. Funkafacation (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 4:44

9. Goin' Down To Eli's (Joe Clayton- Universal Duchess Music Corp-Wabash Music Co.-BMI) 6:37

10. Workin For The Man (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 2:23

11. Our Last Goodbye (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 3:34

12. Lazy Lester (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 6:15

13. The Lights Went Out In Dallas (Morgan-Crawl Tone Publishing BMI) 3:47

Mike Morgan - Vocals tracks 1-7,9,11-13. Guitar all tracks. Lodge cornbread mold and spoon track 6.

Drew Allain - Bass on all tracks except track 9.

Kevin Schermerhorn - Drums all tracks except 5 and 7. Bongos track 6.

Anson Funderburgh - Guitar track 5

Shawn Pittman - Piano track 7. Rhythm Guitar track 9. Guitar fills and 1st solo track 12. Vocals track 10.

Reo Casey - Guitar fills and first solo track 2. Rhythm Guitar track 6. Lead guitar track 7. Rhythm and fills track 10. Piano tracks 5 and 11. Fender Rhodes track 8. Drums track 11. Native American Drum track 6.

Mike Flannigan - B3 on tracks 4 and 8.

Christain Dozzler - Piano track 2. Accordian track 7.

Chris McGuire -Trumpet tracks 4 and 6. Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax track 4.

Dave Perez - Accordian and harmony vocals track 3.

Andrea Wallace - Back up and harmony vocals tracks 4,11 and 13

Pappy Middleton - Back up vocals track 5

Produced By Anson Funderburgh and Mike Morgan

Recorded to 2 inch tape by Pappy Middleton at :

Palmyra Studio

1313 Palmyra Road

Palmer,TX 75152

B3 Sessions were recorded at Alnico Studio, Austin,TX