Joe Morris (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Morris was born in Palapye
, Botswana
in 1966. His interest in music
started early, playing the drums
by the age of eight, later on guitar
at 12, subsequently keyboard
s and piano
at 14. He currently owns a home recording studio
(Drum Boy Recording Studio) and has produced as many as 30 album
s. One of his highlights was the release of the hit song "Ditlhopho Di Tsile" in 2004, a self produced and performed song commissioned by Botswana's Independent Electoral Commission to advertise national elections in a bid to reduce voter apathy. An earlier hit was "Ntsha Nkgo" with Kast, a Hip Hop
/Folk
song
released in 2003.
He has played a significant role in nurturing Botswana's infantile record industry, with noticeable work in not only his own productions but also with people like Socca Moruakgomo and the "Khalahari" afro jazz
album, the birth of the pop group Davet Crew and Kast to name a few.
Palapye
Palapye is a large town in Botswana, situated about halfway between Francistown and Gaborone . Over the years its position has made it a convenient stopover on one of Southern Africa's principal north–south rail and road routes...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
in 1966. His interest in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
started early, playing the drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
by the age of eight, later on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
at 12, subsequently keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
s and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
at 14. He currently owns a home recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
(Drum Boy Recording Studio) and has produced as many as 30 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. One of his highlights was the release of the hit song "Ditlhopho Di Tsile" in 2004, a self produced and performed song commissioned by Botswana's Independent Electoral Commission to advertise national elections in a bid to reduce voter apathy. An earlier hit was "Ntsha Nkgo" with Kast, a Hip Hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/Folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
released in 2003.
He has played a significant role in nurturing Botswana's infantile record industry, with noticeable work in not only his own productions but also with people like Socca Moruakgomo and the "Khalahari" afro jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
album, the birth of the pop group Davet Crew and Kast to name a few.