Morris Wade

Columbus, Ohio was not exactly a mecca of group harmony singing but it turned out a real talent in Morris Wade.

Morris was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1940.  He had five brothers and a sister.  Morris loved basketball and was good enough at it that he considered a career as a basketball player.  But his first love was singing in a group.  Morris says that "it was fashionable, everyone was doing it.  All the schools would have talent shows and the best groups would get the pretty girls."  Morris was influenced by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters and the Ink Spots.

Morris singing debut was at the age of 10 on a local television show - "The Madame Rose Brown Show."  Morris had what he calls a "Ham Bone Group."  They sang and played local shows.

Later, he formed his first group.  The original Columbus/Four Pharaohs were Morris Wade (lead), Robert Taylor (first tenor), Ronald Wilson (baritone) and Bernard Wilson (bass).  They were friends in junior and senior high school.   Morris isn't quite sure where the name came from - they were just looking for a name.

The guys met up with Howard Ransom in 1957 who took them into the studio to eventually record three tracks for his own label.  The first was Pray For Me b/w The Move Around (Ransom 100).   Later the group recorded Give Me Your Love b/w China Girl (Ransom 101).  Give Me Your Love was a hit.  Having a hit record was "confusing" says Morris, because they were not prepared for it.   Next thing they knew they were working with all the big groups/artists of the time like Hank Ballard and the Midnighters and Jackie Wilson and Otis Redding.  The group made it all the way to playing the Apollo.   "It was a traumatic experience," recalls Morris.   Morris credits  the Drifters with helping him out with his career.  But his biggest thrill, and there were probably many to choose from, was to record with Sonny Till of the Orioles who Morris said can be heard on their third record Is It Too Late b/w It Was A Night Like This (Ransom 103).   The group recorded these selections at the King Record's recording studio.

In 1959, Bobby Taylor left the group as did Bernard Wilson who was replaced by Pee Wee Lowery.  Leo Blakely joined the group in 1960 as it became King Pharaoh and the Egyptian Kings and released By Candlelite b/w Shimmy Sham on the Federal label (home to many R&B stars).  Being on the Federal label, the group got to work with fellow Federal artist Little Willie John.

Later in 1963, a new version of the group featuring Morris, Blakely, Paul Moore and Pete Oden met back up with Ransom and went back into the studio under the name the Egyptian Kings to record a new version of Give Me Your Love b/w Baby I Need Love (1963 Nanc 1120).   Hunter Hancock picked up the record and featured it on his LA radio show.

Morris relocated to California in 1967, and he continued performing in Southern California, Vegas, and Palm Springs.  In 1969, The Morris Wade Show performed overseas with the USO.  He toured with the Lockhearts in the Far East.

In 1983, Morris joined Bobby Hendriks' Drifters as a lead singer and toured throughout the United States, Canada & Aruba.  His latest group was called Soundtrack and they recorded a live CD in 2000 at B.B. King's (listen to tracks below).  Recently, Morris decided to put together a new version of the Pharaohs with Leo Blakely and they will be performing in the LA area June 22, 2002 with the Coasters.  What a thrill to have a great talent like Morris back singing his original songs!
 

Current Info

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