All posts tagged: Dorinda Morgan

Catch a Wave: a Chat with Beach Boys Author James B. Murphy

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Written by Ken Sharp November 6, 2015 From performing in school cafeterias to tearing it up on the stage of the Hollywood Bowl, James B. Murphy’s new book, Becoming the Beach Boys 1961-1963 chronicles the back story behind how it all happened in exhaustive detail. Culling original and archival interviews, newly discovered documents and illustrated with scores of previously unseen photographs and ephemera, the book is a marvel of research teeming with revelatory information about the group’s formative years, puncturing myths and setting the record straight about this seminal period in the group’s history. Essential reading for Beach Boys fans or rock music aficionados, Becoming the Beach Boys 1961-1963 is the definitive portrait of their launch demonstrating in detail how a bunch of kids from Hawthorne, California caught a musical wave and were soon sitting on top of the world. Highly recommended. Rock Cellar Magazine: What prompted you to write Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963? Jim Murphy: I was introduced to the music of the Beach Boys when my older brother, Rich, first heard Good …

Endless Summer Quarterly Book Review

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Review by Ian Rusten Fall 2015 Edition, Issue 111, Volume 28, Number Four Let me just start by saying that this is a fantastic book and a must read for any true fans of the Beach Boys!  James Murphy, a veterinarian by trade and a lifelong Beach Boys fan, decided to investigate the crucial early years of the Beach Boys and has uncovered a wealth of detail that escaped past chroniclers of their career, including myself. Murphy has interviewed a wide range of important people from the Beach Boys’ past that, as far as I can recall, have never been interviewed before.  He managed to track down Brian’s first serious girlfriend Judy Bowles, Shindig host Jimmy O’Neill (who hired the Beach Boys to play at his club Pandora’s Box in 1962) and the president of the Beach Boys fan club Jodi Gable, just to name a few. Becoming the Beach Boys delves deeply into the family history of the group, revealing a ton of new (or seldom discussed) information.  Past authors have concentrated solely on …

Seattle’s Spanish Castle and Party Line — A Research Challenge

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This is the first in a series of articles in which I will discuss researching Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963. The topics will include locating and interviewing people connected to the story; searching for newspaper articles, advertisements, handbills, posters, programs, telegrams, tickets, records, and rare memorabilia; finding photographs that had not been published in other books about the band; unearthing heretofore unknown personal appearances and attempting to place dates on appearances for which dates were unknown. First, a little bit about the mystery of human memory. When I interviewed people for the book we discussed events that happened nearly half a century ago. I knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, for them to recall exact dates. I tried to gently jog their memories by asking if they could associate the event with something specific—the season, the weather, a national holiday, songs on the radio, national or world news, events in their own lives—anything that might spark an additional clue. I found with many people the simple act of strolling down memory lane and …

Dorinda & Hite Morgan Discography

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Dorinda Morgan was a prolific songwriter. While this discography is a good beginning, it is likely not comprehensive. For example, it seems certain she composed more songs during the 1930s. The discography is drawn from documents with Broadcast Music, Incorporated (BMI), the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), the Copyright Office at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., interviews with Bruce Morgan, and my personal collection. Images, where available, accompany the records below and will be added as available. Check back. [Last updated October 1, 2016 – details at bottom] Please contact me with any additions, corrections, or images. September 9, 1931 “Cabaret Lady” written by Dorinda Morgan copyrighted by H. Bowman Morgan September 30, 1941 “V Is for Victory” written by Dorinda Morgan copyrighted by Hite Bowman Morgan (Brookhaven, Georgia) December 31, 1941 “Anthem of the Allies” music by Dorinda Morgan words by Hite Bowman Morgan copyrighted by Hite Bowman Morgan (Brookhaven, Georgia) July 1945 “All Clear in My Heart” written by Hite Bowman, Robert T. Chestnutt, and Dorinda Morgan published …