Entertainment : Tickets on sale now for Gary Morris\' return to the Palace September 4th

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Gary Morris was playing a show in Utah when he realized how many people still want to hear him sing.

"I was signing autographs after the show when a man walked up to me. He was from Austin Texas," said Morris in an interview with Vinton Today.

That man told Morris that he flew to Utah just to hear him sing. He said he had been trying to find a place to hear Morris.

"To me," said Morris, "that was a challenge to play more shows because there are people who still want to hear me."

Because of his connections to Vinton -- Morris's father was a first cousin of Barb Rego of Vinton --, Morris came to Vinton a few months ago. The event was such a success, both for the singer and the audience, that both parties agreed to meet again at the same place in the future.

The future, is Sunday, Sept. 4, when Morris will perform one show at the Palace Theatre at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available at the Palace Web site, as well as at the door the night of the concert.

Morris and his songs were heard often on the radio in the early 1980s.
He was the first singer associated with one of the biggest songs of the 20th Century -- 'Wind Beneath My Wings."

That song never went to No. 1, but it was voted 1984 Song of the Year, said Morris.

Morris said two of his buddies wrote that song in the room next to his office at the record company.

"I wish I would have been in that room when that song was written," he said. "It's been a great song to hang my hat on. It has given me some longevity. It's great to have that kind of material."

Morris had several hit records during the 80s. Then he took what he expected to be a short break from country music when he went to Broadway. In 1984, he was cast opposite of Linda Rondstadt in 'Le Boheme," playing the role of Rudulfo. Then, in 1987, he performed the lead role of Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables."

After his success on Broadway, Morris returned to playing country music.
"But they would not play any of my new songs on the radio," he said.
Country stations continued playing his earlier hits, but he could not get his new songs on the air.

"I was effectively shut out of radio," he said. "It was like they thought I was not one of them anymore. It was a painful thing for me. I thought, Wait a minute-- I have done this music since my junior year in college, but after doing one thing out of the industry in a big way I was removed from it. It made me angry and it made me say "I don't really care."

Morris, however, continued to write and record music. He wrote music for an animated movie for children. He continues to write and record songs now. He said one of his favorite lesser-known songs is called "Finishing Touches," about the end of an affair.

Gary's life now
Morris said his fans might want to know what's going on in his life now. He currently lives on a ranch in Colorado. Morris went to college on a football scholarship but ended up singing instead. He thinks that his health is much better because he made that choice, although he has had both knees replaced and two spinal surgeries. "Now at my age, I can still go out and work instead of being bent over and broken in some retirement home," he said. The surgeries, he add, "all worked out fine." Here's another interesting note, said Morris: "I have lost 100 pounds." His weight loss, music and other information can be found on his web site, www.garymorris.com. "The most important thing is the caring for my boys," he said. "I can spend a little more attention to them since I am not out there trying to gain a space for myself. I am much more laid back now, more comfortable with who I am and satisfied with what I am doing."