FOR his latest single, veteran singer Denroy Morgan is ‘travelling’ a somewhat an unfamiliar route.
He describes the track, Prayer to the King, as “spoken word over roots-reggae”.
“Sometimes, the melody of a song is so sweet you don’t get a chance to hear the message. I want the listener hear the message, that’s why I went this route,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
Co-produced by Coosie Miller, the Anthem Band and Morgan on the Asaph label, the track is scheduled to be released today.
Morgan, patriarch of the Morgan Heritage clan, said “Prayer To The King” is inspired by Psalm 72 from the Holy Bible.
“I wrote it when I was going through my trial with the US government on possession of drugs,” he said.
Morgan’s trial began in September 2011, when he was arrested in the Bronx, New York, after it was reported that 25 pounds of marijuana was found in his vehicle.
He, however, was given a 90-day probation and ordered to pay a court filing fee of US$25.
“During that time, I felt like I was Daniel in the lion’s den. I just want to encourage my brothers and sisters to pray more,” he said.
According to Morgan, “Prayer To The King” is the lead single for his four-track EP coming out in June. An album will follow by year-end.
“The EP will have another spoken word track called I’m Addicted to the Truth,” he said.
Morgan said in keeping with his belief in the truth, he’ll be ordained as a bishop in July.
“On July 18, I will be ordained as Bishop of the International Gospel Help Us Church. It is affiliated with the Ethiopian Orthodox Coptic Church of North and South America,” he said.
The ordination will take place at the Heritage Estate in Port Morant, St Thomas.
The first of 10 children, Morgan was born in May Pen, Clarendon into a Christian family. He migrated to the United States in 1965.
He was part of the formation the Black Eagles which won the New York Reggae Music Festival in 1977. Morgan found success in the United States in 1981 with I’ll Do Anything for You album, when the title track became a big R&B and dance hit.
He signed to RCA Records in 1984 and released the reggae album Make My Day.
–By Brian Bonitto
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