From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed Dec 3, 2003  1:31 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Jaye P. Morgan
 
JAYE P. MORGAN

Born Mary Margaret Morgan, 3 December 1932, Mancos, Colorado

Jaye P. Morgan performed with the Morgan Family Variety Troupe until her
father's death in 1945. At 18, her voice had matured to the husky contralto that
would land her a job as featured singer with Frank de Vol's orchestra and then
that of Hank Penny, who recorded for RCA at the time. Through Penny, the
company signed Morgan to a solo contract in 1954.
In the '50s, she also performed as a vocalist on television shows. Jaye P.
made her television debut as a vocalist on Stop the Music, a quiz show which
ran from 1954-55. After this show ended, Jaye P. Morgan decided to go it on
her own. In 1956 she became the hostess and vocalist on her own show, The
Jaye P. Morgan Show. She was also a regular on Robert Q. Lewis' daytime
series and on the variety show Perry Presents. In 1960 she portrayed an old
time singer on the popular daytime comedy My Three Sons.
Record-wise, 1955 was her big year. Seven of her singles made the Top 20,
including "That's All I Want From You" (# 3), "The Longest Walk" (# 6) and
what is probably her most rocking song, "Pepper-Hot Baby" (# 14). Two sides
of a duet single with Perry Como also went Top 20, but a link-up with Eddy
Arnold ("Mutual Admiration Society") was only moderately successful. Seven
minor hits followed in 1956, but Morgan was absent from the charts in 1957
and 1958. Subsequently, though still planting feet in both the C&W and pop
camps, only 1959's 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' and a 1960 version of
Johnny Cash 's 'I Walk The Line' (both on MGM) could be even remotely
classed as hits.
During the '60s she led a rather obscure and private life performing
infrequently on the nightclub scene. Jaye P. Morgan re-emerged in the '70s
concentrating on an actress/entertainer career rather than a singing career.
Established as an all-American show business 'personality', she would appear
on television variety spectaculars and talk programmes as late as the mid-80s.

CD: Jaye P. Morgan on RCA (Collector's Choice, 1998). 20 tracks.