Eliot Morris
Encyclopedia
Biography
Eliot Morris grew up one of six kids in his parents' house in MobileMobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. A typical southern upbringing with typical boyhood interest, until the day his father brought home a CD player and a Motown compilation. He met Chris Sevier and the two began writing and recording songs and playing the occasional show. After a number of years Eliot decided to pursue music as a solo artist. He went to Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in 1999 where he graduated with a degree in Finance. It was at Auburn University, where Morris, playing open mics and writer's nights, really came to believe that he was writing some special songs. He released his own independent record in 2002. Shortly after, Morris caught the eye of Gary Gersh, who helped discover Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
, Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
and Mars Volta. Gersh signed Eliot to his Strummer Records.
Morris began recording What's Mine Is Yours in October 2004. He'd originally been signed to Strummer Records, a Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
subsidiary that "went away" as Morris says, in a typical industry reorganization. Morris tried to build his solo status by cd sharing, and touring locally, as well as on side stages of big names such as John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
, and James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
. The first single from the album was “Balancing the World”. Crayola
Crayola
Crayola is a brand of artists' supplies manufactured by Crayola LLC, which was founded in 1885 as Binney & Smith. It is best known for its crayons...
also helped with building his recognition by using his song, “This Colorful World”, in one of their commercials. Today, Morris resides in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Albums
- Eliot Morris (2002)
- Eliot Morris Sampler (2005)
- Joe Muggs' Coffee House CD Volume 1 (2003)
- What's Mine Is Yours (2006)
- All Things in Time (2010)