My Last Interview with Jim Morris

Share With Your Friends!

The Trop Rock music world is still reeling after the recent loss of musician Jim Morris, who was referred to by many as the “godfather” of Trop Rock. I am one of the thousands of his fans who are mourning his sudden passing. We all attempt to heal and console ourselves in different ways and my way is by writing a last article about Jim.

I first interviewed Jim during Pardi Gras in 2012. He was the musician playing the Sunday morning breakfast show at Margaritaville and was gracious to grant me a long interview.

Jim and I in New Orleans after our first interview.

Since then, I’ve heard him perform live dozens of times and he played two house concerts at my home. He was slated to play number three here in late September. After the first house concert, Jim, my husband and I enjoyed a rum tasting where he gave us tips on places to stop along Highway 1 down to Key West since we were traveling to Meeting of the Minds that way a month later.

After the second house concert, we caught up a bit more with another interview. This time we didn’t talk about his musical history; we talked about Jim as a musician.

Jim told me he was most certainly a “lifestyle artist.” He went on to include Jimmy Buffett and the Beach Boys in that category. He defined a lifestyle artist as one who “lives the life and writes about what they live or have lived.”

The record industry apparently labeled Jim as such and let him know he would have “limited appeal.” Limited appeal… Jim Morris? We in the Trop Rock world know better!

When I asked about how he put an album together, he told me he had a formula: when writing songs for a CD, he included a love song, a fun song, a jazzy song and a tropical song. “Different ideas blossom at different times,” he related. Jim would create a timeline, then set aside time to read and think creatively. His first idea regarding a song apparently turned out totally different at the end many times.

Do you think Jim marched to his own drummer? Not referring to Jimi Pappas, here! I believe Jim was his own person and thankful for the fans who loved him, but he would have made his kind of music even if there were no fans.

He realized that all his music heroes were “cult figures,” in his own words…. Buffett, Jerry Jeff Walker, John Prine and Michael Murphy. Jim’s own idea was “wouldn’t it be cool to make a living playing your own music and not ask permission to do it?” And he did.

I don’t know that anyone has the answer to the question of how we’ll get along without Jim Morris. Many have stated that he will live on through his music and I have to agree. I’m so grateful I got to know him as a person and maybe gathered a better understanding of his songs.

Words can’t effectively express how we all feel since his passing, but we can all agree that he will be tremendously missed.

As with our last interview, I’ll always cherish our last picture.

If you would like to attend the Jim Morris Celebration of Life, here is the information:

The Celebration for Jim and his music will be on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the Four Points By Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside, Tiki Lawn at 12:30 PM.
Group Hotel Rates For Jim Morris Celebration Concert:
Wyvern Hotel, 101 E. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, FL 33950. 941 639-7700 Ask for Jim Morris Celebration Rate. $92.00+tax.
PG Waterfront Hotel and Suites, 300 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda, FL 33955. 941 639-1165 ask for the Jim Morris Celebration Rate, $65 regular, $75 Poolside, and Harbor view $95.
Days Inn, 1941 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL 33948 941 627-8900, ask for the Jim Morris Celebration Rate $72.00.

We’ll always lovingly remember Jim Morris. Here area a few additional photos of Jim by Trop Rockin’ Magazine over the years:

[aesop_gallery id=”12751″]

Share With Your Friends!