Michael Morgan's Obituary
Michael Morgan was born on October 24, 1948 in Muncie, Indiana to his parents, Earl and Betty Morgan. He passed away on October 30, 2021 at his home in Leesville, LA.
Mike was a native of Indiana but has spent the last 30 years in Leesville Louisiana. He had two daughters, a son-in-law and 2 grandsons. He has been an active trumpet performer for over 44 years traveling throughout the United States, Europe, Far East, and Middle East while performing with and leading Professional Jazz Ensembles.
Mike attended night school for 26 years while stationed with Army Bands throughout the world. He accumulated undergraduate credits with University of Maryland, University of St Leo, Virginia State University, Northwestern State University, and Texas Community College. After retiring from the US Army in 1992, he received his BS in music from Regents College, New York. He continued his education with Northwestern State University and received his M.Ed. Mike went back to NSU and became certified as a Principal and eventually retired as Assistant Principal at Pickering High School.
In 1966, Mike joined the US Army Band program. He was a lead trumpet player and big band leader of numerous jazz ensembles during his career. He spent 5 years at the Armed Forces School of Music as Senior Instructor and leader of the Tri-Service Jazz Lab Band. Among his many duties, he managed the Jazz, Combo, Improv, and Concert Band Departments. He taught management, leadership, and rehearsal techniques to intermediate and advanced course students. His next assignment took him to Belgium where he organized, implemented and led an International Jazz ensemble for the NATO Command in Europe. His ensemble consisted of musicians from different NATO countries which became a highly visible jazz ensemble and traveled throughout Europe playing for Royalty, Presidents, Ministers, Heads of State, and thousands of public venues.
Mike is also a Vietnam Veteran serving in combat with the 1st Infantry Division and a Gulf War Veteran serving with the 1st Armored Division. He retired from the Army in 1992.
After retiring from the Army, Mike started teaching at Pickering High School as Band and Choir Director and taught AP World History. After rebuilding a failing program, his band consistently received superior ratings at Concert Band, Marching Band, and Jazz Ensemble festivals.
He accepted an Adjunct teaching position with NSU teaching Jazz concepts and Jazz Ensemble while he worked on his certification for Principal. He eventually went back to Pickering High School as the Assistant Principal and retired for the second time in 2009.
During his career, he did clinics, adjudications, and Guest Performance work with concert bands, marching bands, and jazz ensembles throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. He was clinician and performed for All State Jazz Ensembles in Louisiana, Mississippi, Maine, Vermont and North Carolina; as well as, Mary Wood College, Pennsylvania; the Gislaved Swedish National Big Band, James Last’s Jazz Ensemble from Germany, and The Gerard Hever Grand Orchestre Jazz Ensemble, Paris France. Under his leadership, Mike’s Professional ensembles have performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, The Brussels Jazz Marathon, The Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. He has hosted guest artist such as Doc Severson, Clark Terry, Tommy Newsom, Mike Vax, Stan Mark, Allen Vizzutti, Ed Shaughnessy, Urbie Green, Bill Watrous, Ed Thigpen, Yusef Lateef, and Eddie Daniels, Tommy Newsom to mention just a few. He has also worked with numerous recording studios to include CBN Studios, Va., Michele Mayan Studios, Belgium; Brussels Radio and Television Studios (BRT), Belgium; AmaDeus Tonstudio, Ansbach Germany; Channel 2 TV Studios, Paris France; and CBN (700 Club) Va. Beach Va. Mike has also performed with or did "side work" with the Glenn Miller Band, Tommy Dorsey Band, Barnum and Bailey Circus, Ice Capades Holiday on Ice, Regis Philbin, James Brown, Aaron Neville, Pat Boone, Sandi Patty and Dionne Warwick.
Mike is a member of Phi Beta Mu and past Jazz Chair for LMEA. He has served as President and Vice President of International Association of Jazz Educators, 3 years President of District V Assn., and is a Charter member of Louisiana Association of Jazz Educators and performed annually with the IAJE Jazz Reading Ensemble.
Mike was inducted into the LAJE Music Hall of Fame in 2011 for his life time achievements in jazz performance and education. He was Band Director of the Year for District V and Teacher of the Year, Pickering High School, Vernon Parish.
He is a member of the Retired Military Musicians Association and member of the Louisiana Association of Principles.
He has also composed & published many jazz arrangements, military marches, and concert band music as well as a training manual for Rehearsal Techniques published or recorded by the Department of Defense.
Left to cherish his memory are his daughters: Tricia Michelle Morgan of Virginia Beach, VA., Stacie Lynn Carpenter and husband, Richard of Virginia Beach, VA; Grandsons: Cohen Carpenter, Mason Morgan; Sister: Francella Ring of Hartsville, TN.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
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