MORRIS, WADE

Homebase: Wenatchee / Winthrop / Tacoma / Brewster / Moses Lake , WA.
Stats: December 5, 1932 - January 14, 2013
Misc Notes: Wade “Woodie” Morris was born Dec. 5, 1932, in Wenatchee, Wash., and raised in Winthrop, WA. He learned how to play guitar at a very young age, and by the time he was 15, he was playing music in the dance halls in Winthrop back in the mid-40s. He recorded his first record when he turned 17. He recorded “Angel of the Heart” for his mother and, on the other side, he recorded “Married by the Bible, Divorce by the Law” for his sister Susie. He recorded many records after that, which are now available to purchase on CD. He was one of the original band members of the 49’ers band. That band had played together for 16 years with different members. When the Korean War started, a lot of the guys, including Woodie, went into the service. The band continued with the guys that didn’t get drafted. Woodie didn’t get drafted; instead, he enlisted because he knew his number would come up. He served in the Army during the Korean War from 1950 to 1952. After he got out of the Army, he traveled around California playing music. He finally moved back to Washington and married Joan Johnson in May of 1969. He owned a recording studio in Federal Way, Wash., where he recorded many local groups. His family moved to Pateros in 1972, where he worked for John Neff Orchards until 1984. During that time, he played in many bands and set up a recording studio in the garage. In 1973, he recorded a duet couple by the name of John Kreider and Donna (Dorothy) Isackson. They recorded a 45 -- “Right or Wrong” and “Flower of my Heart”. Morris released the songs on his label WM. In 1980, he recorded Barb Campbell for a 45 record: “Don’t be Angry” and “Satin Sheets”. Brian Varomon’s band, along with Al Ames, performed the music. The Morris family moved to Brewster, Wash. in 1984 for a year and then moved up to Okanogan in 1985, where he and Joan lived until he had to go in to the Moses Lake Assistant Living in December of 2011. Morris played music all his life and his son, Justin, has followed in his footsteps. Morris played the bass guitar, steel guitar, lead guitar and flat top guitar. He has written many songs and recorded them as well. Morris passed away Jan. 14, 2013 in Moses Lake, Wash. [Obtuary text adapted from the Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle.]

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