Jim Morris Is A Talented Singer And Songwriter

Jim Morris is an articulate singer/songwriter with a devotion to storytelling. Whether it is a thoughtful ballad about doomed love or an anthem to a night of drunken revelry, the listener can always count on well-crafted songs with carefully drawn characters, clever lyrics, and satirical charm. Although Jim’s musical style is admittedly reminiscent of Jimmy Buffett and Jerry Jeff Walker, he has a knack for defying categorization. He mixes a whimsical island sound with a splash of Texas to produce a sound that is uniquely Gulf and Western.

Jim spent the subsequent years writing songs and playing gigs around Florida. From the beginning he took a big risk by featuring original music. "I spent about a year writing and developing a catalog of songs. I was unsure of my ability to sing and play the guitar professionally, but I thought my songs might separate me from the other performers."

A fortuitous meeting with recording artist Randy Matthews would result in Matthews producing Morris’ first recording, "Laid Back and Key Wasted," released in 1996 by Fish Head Music. As you would expect, each song tells a story: the title track is about a guy who gives up the corporate world for the beach; one is about the exploits of a pilot who flies contraband; another is about roadkill and the people who collect it; others tell great stories of sailing, fishing, and drinking. "After my first CD was released, I changed my focus. I stopped playing bars so much and I worked coffeehouses and bookstores. I wanted to play before a listening audience who might appreciate what I had to say. I made less money, but I started to develop a fan base."

With the success of "Bocanuts" and a growing catalog of songs, Jim decided to release a CD every year. In November of 1998 he was back with Hattingh recording "Looking for a Place to Happen" which was released in February 1999. "The CD didn’t turn out exactly as planned," says Morris. "Several songs I was hoping to include were not as good as I wanted them to be. Sensing my frustration, my wife, Sharon, sat me down with a list of my songs and pointed out a lot of songs I had neglected. Consequently, songs like "What Kind of Fool Can I Be," "The Hammock Club," "Gatsby Dreams," and "Sometimes I Wish" were added." "Looking for a Place to Happen" became the most critically acclaimed CD to date.

True to his plan to produce a CD every year, December 1999 found Jim back in the studio working on his fourth CD, "Bar Stools and Beach Chairs." He took a different approach this time, preferring creative spontaneity to careful planning. "I wanted to feel my way through the project and do some tweaking and changing as we went along." As it turns out "Bar Stools" may be his best effort yet. Along with his customary strong lyrics Jim has produced a work with remarkable musical diversity. Chris Hattingh knew that once again Jim had a winner. "I know that Jim felt some pressure to top "Looking for a Place to Happen," but there is something for everyone on this CD."