Biography

MIKE MORGAN


A songwriter first and foremost, Mike Morgan has also served as a producer as well as a performer. A native of Southern Ohio, Morgan’s musical career began in the mid ‘60s when he was a member of a local rock ‘n’ roll band called The Truants, covering the songs of Johnny Rivers, a little bit of Beatles, some country and of course, in the early ‘60s tradition, playing “Louie, Louie” by the Kingsmen.

“While The Truants was a fun thing to do at the time, and we have reunited for special shows, my heart has always been in country music,” says Mike Morgan. “As a boy, I remember listening to the music of Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and George Jones.”

Following high school, Morgan earned a BS degree from Eastern Kentucky University and an MS from the University of Dayton. It was at that time that Mike and his high school friend Jeff Elliott formed a partnership and decided to write songs. That co-writing relationship still goes on today with great success. Over the years Mike and Jeff have written with hit Nashville songwriters Ed Bruce, Jan Buckingham, Mark Brinkman, Slaid Cleaves, Tom Fettke and Jonell Mosser as well as John Foster, Bleu Jackson, Ray Jessel, Chris MacArthur and Bernie Faulkner.

Their song “The Feel of Bein’ Gone” has been recorded by Conway Twitty, Ed Bruce and several other artists. Ed Bruce has also recorded “The Tracks You Left on Me” and “Truth Is I’m A Liar.” Additionally, Bud Logan, Slaid Cleaves, Doc Holliday, Hylo Brown, Governor Jimmie Davis and many others have recorded songs written by Morgan and Elliott.. He and Jeff Elliott also wrote the music for “Billy Bob Loves Charlene” a play that ran off-Broadway in New York City.

Mike Morgan began his professional songwriting career with Southern Arts Music in Nashville, later joining Ed Bruce’s publishing company, Home At Last Music. He’s also written for Greene Pastures Music, a company owned and operated by Ann and Nat Stuckey, and Sony ATV Music.

As a recording artist he cut “Walker’s Woods” in the early ’70s that became a regional hit and still receives classic country play throughout the Internet and on many country gold radio stations. That single was produced by Ed Bruce and Dave Howell and released on UAI Records.

Working on the other side of the glass as a record producer, Morgan has twisted the dials for Ed Bruce, bluegrass group Whetstone Run, Appalachian string band group Home Remedy and independent artists Paul Hanks and Walt Cook.

Mike Morgan is a pro member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and speaks to groups about the process of songwriting and about songwriting in general.