Columnist Joe Delaney: Morgan carries orchestra in father’s tradition

Joe Delaney

Friday, July 13, 2001 | 9:54 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com

Trombonist-band leader Jack Morgan and the Russ Morgan Orchestra will play for dancing, starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, in the Stardust Ballroom ... "Music in the Morgan Manner" is in its 65th year ... During this time, there have been only two leaders ... Jack took over the reins when his father put up his horn and baton for the last time in 1969.

Russ and Shirley Morgan moved to Las Vegas in 1965 when his orchestra was booked into the Dunes for eight weeks, an engagement that lasted more than 12 years ... Our personal relationship dated back to the mid- and late-1940s at Decca (now MCA) ... In 1948 I was in charge of the New England states for the label and based in Boston.

Russ Morgan stopped in Boston as part of a promotional tour for a big recording hit, written by him, "So Tired" ... Bob Elliott was the early morning DJ on WHDH-AM, a 50kw radio powerhouse ... Ray Goulding was a time salesman for the station ... Goulding had sold a half-hour program and asked Ray if he would do the program with him in a talk-show format.

Morgan agreed to be their first guest, to promote "So Tired" ... They used "So Tired" to open the show and asked Russ how he had come to write the song ... Russ said, "There was this doorman at the Chase Hotel in St. Louis ..." and the duo took it from there ... For the next 28 minutes or so they created a fictitious, very funny life for this doorman at the Chase Hotel ... Morgan did get a nice plug for the record at the start, but that's all.

As the team Bob and Ray, Elliott and Goulding went on to great national success in all of the communications media ... Russ Morgan's credits include arranging for Victor Herbert, John Philip Sousa, plus Fletcher Henderson and many of the top jazz bands ... From the mid-1930s on, the Russ Morgan Orchestra was a fixture on major radio programs, on records and noted for long runs at top hotels.

"Does Your Heart Beat for Me," the orchestra's theme through the years, was a Russ Morgan composition, along with such other million-record sellers as "So Tired," "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" and "You're Nobody Until Somebody Loves You," a mega-hit for Dean Martin.

Jack Morgan has continued the tradition, even using the muted "wah-wah" sound that was an early trademark ... Strings have been added for this Stardust engagement, and the book of arrangements includes new songs as well as the great old standards, all retaining the essence of "Music in the Morgan Manner" ... The $15 admission makes it one of LV's best bargains this weekend.

Weekend wrap-up

Congratulations, Larry Taylor, who celebrated 14 years of ballroom-type dancing at the Gold Coast on June 19 ... Next year on April 8, Taylor will celebrate 30 years of being Las Vegas' first nightclub disk jockey. His music is always a treat whatever the occasion.

Congratulations, Bill Acosta and his "Lasting Impressions" at the Flamingo Las Vegas. Acosta took the time to entertain children at the Lied Boys and Girls Club recently ... We're happy to see that tap master Jay Fagan has rejoined Acosta, doing his tap takeoffs on Sammy Davis Jr., Donald O'Connor, Gregory Hines and Savion Glover.

On June 21 "Splash" celebrated its 16th anniversary at the Riviera ... The "Splash" cast and company should also be commended for its fund-raising efforts on behalf of Child Haven ... During July and August, the 7:30 p.m. Saturday show only will be covered; the other 13 shows each week are topless.

While we were away, the Sahara, David Cassidy and Don Reo finally signed the papers extending "The Rat Pack Is Back" through March 31 ... It is a strong, well-constructed show with an outstanding live orchestra ... See you next Thursday.