Jaye P. Morgan: Retired and Loving Life!

Jaye P. Morgan made a recording of ‘Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries’ which made it to the Top 10 in the U.S. Billboard record chart a few months after graduating from high school. Soon after, she received an RCA Victor recording contract where she had five hits in one year, including ‘That's All I Want from You,’ her biggest hit, which reached #3 on the charts. Other notable hits include ‘The Longest Walk’ and ‘Pepper Hot Baby.’ 


From 1954 to 1955, Jaye P. was a vocalist on the television show ‘Stop the Music.’ In November 1955, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Jaye P. Morgan was the top female vocalist in the U.S. Cash Box poll. In 1956, she had her own television program, named for her, and made guest appearances on a number of other variety shows. She was a charter member of the Robert Q. Lewis "gang" on Lewis's weekday program on CBS, and was featured on a special episode of  ‘The Jackie Gleason Show’ in which Lewis's entire company substituted for the vacationing Gleason. In 1958, Jaye P. appeared on ABC's  ‘The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom.’ On October 6, 1960, she guest starred on NBC's ‘The Ford Show,’ Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.


In the 1970’s, Morgan was a panelist on the game/variety shows ‘The Gong Show’ and ‘Rhyme and Reason’ and ‘Match Game’ and in the 1980 "behind-the-scenes" movie version of ‘The Gong Show.’ 


During her post Gong Show days, Jaye P. Morgan returned to live performances focusing on her new club act and the theatrical stage. She starred in the 1981-1982 national tour of ‘Sugar Babies’ and starred in the role of Miss Mona in ‘The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas’ from Atlantic City with co-star George Maharis and for Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. Jaye P. has also starred in productions of ‘Nunsense,’ ‘Miss Margarida’s Way,’ and ‘The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.’


Her film credits include ‘The All-American Boy’ with Jon Voight, ‘Loose Shoes,’ ‘The Gong Show Movie,’ ‘Night Patrol,’ and the 2002 Miramax release of ‘Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind,’ directed by George Clooney.


AM:  You started off your life as a singer didn’t you?


JPM:  I was a child of three when I started singing.


AM:  Your whole family was into show business weren’t they?


JPM:  Yes I had five brothers but I worked with four of them.  My Dad put me on stage when I was three and told me to sing.  He’d teach me certain songs and I’d sing them.  It was that simple.


AM:  Where was this taking place?


JPM:  In Colorado where I was born in a log cabin.  This was during the depression.


AM:  So it was very normal for you.


JPM:  Yes that was my childhood.  I thought everybody sang.  Everybody in my family sang.  I was always surrounded by music.  It was a nice family to grow up in.  It was easy to go on the road with the boys.


AM:  Did it feel natural when you started singing on your own?


JPM:  Yes, I was thirteen after the war ended and I started singing with groups.  I knew I was going to be a singer because it’s all I knew how to do.


AM:  Did you dream of being a singer as an artist or did you want to be a star?


JPM:  I thought about being a singer.  I never thought about being a famous star.  By the time I got busy enough to be “somebody” I never had time to think.  I moved to New York when I was 23 and started doing television shows.  I was always working.


AM:  Did you enjoy working with Perry Como?


JPM:  I thought it was wonderful because my Mother was in love with him.  I brought her to the show and she was all over him.  She was taken with him and thought a lot of me because I worked with him.


AM:  What did you think of Perry Como?


JPM:  I loved him.  He was a nice man.


AM:  Your music from that time was considered pop but I hear a boogie woogie quality in it.


JPM:  I always liked African American performers.  Those are the people I listened too.  Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday were my trainers.


AM:  I can believe that.  Did people ever tell you that you sounded African American?


JPM:  Yes, they told me that all the time.  I was so surprised.  I couldn’t believe it.


AM:  I have to say your 1976 album produced by David Foster may be the best album he ever produced!  Was that the beginning of his career?


JPM:  Yes that was the first album he ever produced.


AM:  Did you think of him as an exceptionally gifted producer?


JPM:  Absolutely, I knew he was going all the way to the top.


AM:  It really is a stunning record.


JPM:  I’m surprised you even know about it.


AM:  I know it very well.  Your voice is unbelievable.


JPM:  Thank you, I was really in shape vocally, when I recorded that one.  I thought I could do anything I wanted to. Also I had a lot of confidence in him as a producer.


AM: It’s such a soulful album.


JPM:  I tried to make it that way and I loved David’s work.  We got along very well.  We used the best musicians in the world.  It’s all A list musicians.  David worked with all those guys.


AM:  By this time you were deep into a television career.  I LOVE you on ‘The Muppet Show!’  Did you enjoy that?


JPM:  It was really fun!  Jim Hensen was a wonderful, nice man.  I liked him a lot.  I loved the Muppets.  They were so sharp and witty.


AM:  That is really a pop culture milestone.  The other milestone people know you from is ‘The Gong Show.’  Everyone still knows ‘The Gong Show’ like it was on TV yesterday.


JPM:  I can’t imagine how they know it.  It’s not running anyplace is it?


AM:  I don’t think so, but it’s also on Youtube.  That show was notorious in some ways.


JPM:  Yes it was notorious.





AM:  What was your experience of that?


JPM:  I had a ball because I could do anything I wanted to.  Of course I got fired for it.


AM:  I remember that, but why did you get fired?


JPM:  Because I opened my blouse and I don’t wear a bra so there I was.  Chuck asked me not to do that anymore because the standards and practice guy went crazy so I said I wouldn’t but I forgot!  In the heat of the battle I did it again!


AM:  The show didn’t last without you.


JPM:  No it didn’t.  It went off the air six weeks later.


AM:  There are clips of you on ‘My Three Sons’ and ‘The Odd Couple.’  Do you remember filming those shows?


JPM:  Yes I do.  I remember Tony Randall being full of drama.


AM:  I’ve heard many stories about him being difficult.


JPM:  Oh he was a pain in the ass...but not with me.  I would have slammed him anyway. I didn’t care.




AM:  I saw you on ‘The Dating Game’ too!


JPM:  I hardly remember that show.


AM:  Do you remember if you went on the date?


JPM:  No I didn’t go.  I told them I would only do the show if I didn’t have to go on a date.


AM:  You really got a lot of experience working on ‘Stop The Music’ I bet.


JPM:  I did that as I was doing ‘The Robert Q. Lewis Show.’  On ‘Stop The Music’ they would have you sing and then stop the song a few bars in.  My agent was mortified that they would do that.  He went to the producers and arranged they would never stop me in the middle of a song.  It was embarrassing.


AM:  How long have you been retired?


JPM:  I retired about four years ago.


AM:  Have you been enjoying your life since retirement?


JPM:  Very much.


AM:  You look happy, healthy and radiant!


JPM:  Well, I feel great.


AM:  What’s a typical day like for you now?


JPM:  I have to go to the market and do things like that.


AM:  Do you cook?


JPM:  A bit.  I walk in the morning.  I keep myself busy.


AM:  Do you miss not singing?


JPM:  No, I am fulfilled.  I started at three.  It’s over for me.


AM:  Now you just get to be “you for you” instead of “on” for everybody.


JPM:  Exactly.  It’s very comforting to not have to get my hair and make-up done and all dressed up to go perform.  Just keeping your body up for that kind of schedule is trying.  Now I don’t ever sing or even hum.


AM:  Do you listen to music?


JPM:  I do listen to music.  Jacob Collier is a talented young man on Youtube.  He’s only 19 years old but he is exceptional.  He is astounding and brilliant.  I like him.  He’s from England.  He’s magnificent.  He’s really a genius.