[Harp-L] Re: Tommy Morgan's news

[Bob Loomis <miltloomis@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for relaying this news, Winslow. Sorry to hear of Tommy's stroke and I send along best wishes for a full and healthy recovery. Good to know he's still playing, even if it's just in church.Â
I am wondering about his assessment of the state of harmonica in recording studios, etc. Seems to me I hear a lot of harp on TV commercials. Most of it sounds diatonic, but I'm wondering if you or others can comment further on the situation vis-a-vis either diatonic or chromatic work or the lack thereof in Ârecording and/or TV and film. Thanks in advance.
Bob LoomisConcord CA
 

   
Winslow Yerxa wrote:
"Got home last night to find a voice message from Tommy Morgan. I called him back, and he gave me some news that he asked me to relay to the harmonica community.

"Now, you may be wondering who IÃââm talking about. Ever hear harmonica on records by the Beach Boys, or Linda Ronstadt or the Carpenters? What about TV show themes like Sanford & Son or the Rockford Files, or the occasional harmonica in the underscore to the Twilight Zone? ThatÃââs pretty much all Tommy (he even composed some of the Twilight Zone scores). HeÃââs not a household name because he mostly stays in the background and offscreen Ãââ though he did show up at the Oscars once to play ÃâÅThe Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceÃâ as part of a Burt Bacharach tribute, and even had an onscreen turn as a busker on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He reckons he's played on more than 7,000 recording sessions.

"In other words, Tommy is a huge part of the sound of the harmonica in popular entertainment, and in the harmonica world heÃââs one of the really big guys.

"So Tommy relayed to me that in November 2014, he suffered a stroke. It was pretty serious, and initially took out his lower left side. HeÃââs recovered most of his motor skills, but as for playing, he says itÃââs been a struggle to ÃâÅwork my way back up to mediocre.Ãâ As an aside, he said that anyone greeting this news with dreams of moving to LA to replace him in the recording scene should know that thereÃââs no there there anymore; the work has dried up. He feels that the main part of his career occurred during a golden age thatÃââs now passed.

"Tommy remains active making music for Sunday services at his church, as heÃââs done for many years. He seemed to be in good spirits when we spoke, and IÃââm sure we call wish him the best."