Mike Morgan & the Crawl at the Gypsy Highway Bar & Grill -- March 16.
Sunday, March 16, 4 p.m.
Gypsy Highway Bar & Grill, 2606 West Locust Street, Davenport IA
Its bandleader lauded by Guitar World Magazine as "a genuine blues guitar hero" and by Blues Access Magazine for delivering "an irrepressible mix of fresh gritty blues and romping Stax/Volt-era soul," the touring artists of Mike Morgan & the Crawl play a March 16 concert at Davenport's Gypsy Highway Bar & Grill in support of their most recent release The Lights Went Out in Dallas, the group's local appearance co-sponsored by the Mississippi Valley Blues Society.
Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1969, Morgan grew up in nearby Hillsboro, and displaying an avid interest in music as a youngster, he listened intently to the impassioned soul sounds of Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett on local radio stations. He received his first guitar while in the third grade, but didn't begin to take playing seriously until he discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan's album Texas Flood in 1985. Morgan’s distinctive style quickly evolved, and in 1986, he formed The Crawl with vocalist Darrell Nulisch. Their collaboration exposed Morgan to the Chicago blues scene, and the band gained a reputation for their original blues songs and powerful performances.
After Nulisch’s departure from the outfit in 1989, Morgan found a perfect new match in Kansas City native and blues veteran Lee McBee, whose smoky, seasoned vocals were reminiscent of the legendary 1960s soul singers Morgan listened to while growing up. The fact that McBee was also an accomplished and revered harmonica player added more fuel to The Crawl's fire. Morgan's and McBee's collaboration proved popular with blues fans, and appearances at the Benson & Hedges Blues Festival, the Dallas Blues Festival, the Atlantic City Blues Festival, and the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival soon followed. Their collaboration also led to national recognition and a series of successful albums, among them Mighty Fine Dancin, Full Moon Over Dallas, Ain't Worried No More, Looky Here!, The Road, and I Like The Way You Work It. Morgan even kept a high profile during some downtime away from the band in 1994 by recording Let The Dogs Run, a highly acclaimed record that paired him with fellow Dallas guitarist Jim Suhler.
Despite a period of reduced touring after 2006, Morgan continued to play locally and pursued a career in the motorcycle business. Recently, however, Morgan has returned to music, reinvigorated and writing new material, including for The Lights Went Out in Dallas, the band's first full-length recording in 15 years. The album has amassed raves, with Vintage Guitar Magazine stating, "Texas has a storied tradition of fantastic blues guitarists, and Mike Morgan has steadily grown as one of the keepers of the flame."
Mike Morgan & the Crawl perform their Gypsy Highway Bar & Grill engagement on March 16, door admission to the 4 p.m. concert is $10 for Mississippi Valley Blues Society members and $12 for non-members, and the event will feature a 50/50 raffle. For more information, call (563)322-5837 and visit MVBS.org.
