Live Music at Deschain feat Mike Morgan and the Crawl | Live Music Gainesville, TX

Classic Blues With a Modern Spirit

Live Music in Gainesville, TX | Walk-ins welcome!

Born in Texas, Mike Morgan received his first guitar in third grade, but didn’t take playing seriously until he discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan’s album, Texas Flood, in 1985. He was a motorcycle racer before applying himself seriously to playing blues guitar, and wears an eyepatch over his right eye as the result of a racing crash.

As his prowess on the guitar developed, it became clear that he was not merely a Stevie knock-off, but rather an original player with a sound and style all his own. In 1986, Mike hooked up with experienced vocalist Darrell Nulisch (formerly with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets and Ronnie Earl) to form The Crawl (named after an old jukebox hit by guitar great, Lonnie Brooks). Darrell had a tremendous knowledge of blues and a deep collection of blues records, and he exposed Morgan to the music of the Chicago blues scene and many of its key players.

Mike Morgan and The Crawl quickly made a name for themselves as one of the best contemporary blues bands in Texas, writing original songs that were on a par with the classics they chose to cover. After Nulisch left the band in 1989, Morgan set out to find a vocalist who would fit his desire for a broader-based R&B sound. He found the perfect match in Kansas City native and blues veteran Lee McBee, whose smoky, seasoned vocals were reminiscent of the legendary 1960s soul singers Morgan listened to while growing up. The fact that McBee was also an accomplished and revered harmonica player added more fuel to The Crawl’s fire.

Mike Morgan and The Crawl found a national audience with the release of their debut recording, Raw & Ready, in 1990. Backed up by extensive national and international touring, Mike Morgan and The Crawl continued to amaze their fans throughout the 1990s by releasing five highly regarded albums, Mighty Fine Dancin, Full Moon Over Dallas, Ain’t Worried No More, Looky Here!, The Road and I Like The Way You Work It. Morgan even kept a high profile during some down time away from the band in 1994 by recording Let The Dogs Run, a highly acclaimed record that paired him with fellow Dallas guitarist Jim Suhler.

In 2000 Texas Man, Mike’s first vocal outing was released on Severn Records. Texas Man met rave reviews and was followed up in 2004 by “ Live in Dallas.”

2007 saw the release of the CD, Stronger Every Day. Stronger Every Day was released by Seven Records and has guest appearances by Lee McBee and Randy McAllister.

Mike cut back on his touring in 2006 and now enjoys playing locally with his three-piece band featuring Kevin Schermerhorn on drums and Drew Allain on bass.

PREVIEW PERFORMANCE: https://youtu.be/_HC4McDsKs0

RESERVE A TABLE: https://deschaincellars.com/reservations