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Rita Kyle remembers the first time she met Richard Morgan.
鈥淚 met Rick about eight years ago at the monthly Acoustic Jam at the (Brackendale) art gallery,鈥� said the local musician and performer. 鈥淲e started making music together almost immediately.鈥�
Morgan 鈥� who passed away suddenly on April 9 at the age of 64 鈥� had a voice that blended perfectly with Kyle鈥檚. He also knew all the music that she liked.
鈥淗e could play all the favourites,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e knew a lot of songs and played stuff from the 鈥�40s right through to classic 鈥�80s tunes.鈥�
Kyle said Morgan鈥檚 passing will be felt throughout the 撸奶社区music scene.
鈥淗e was an important part of our local music scene; a regular performer at the summer and winter farmers鈥� markets, Canada Day celebration (downtown), Christmas Market (downtown), a favourite at Shannon Falls Residence (and previously The Renaissance), 撸奶社区Manor, 撸奶社区Garden Tour and Brackendale Fall Fair,鈥� she wrote in an email to The Chief following his death.听
鈥淟ast summer, he made his dinner-show debut at Pepe and Gringos, and also played for On the Farm Market. He had been in shows at the Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co. and the BAG.鈥�
In addition, Morgan played with Kyle and local troubadour Cam Salay in the band Old Dog, as well as just with Kyle in A Little R and R.听
鈥淚 loved the way he played guitar,鈥� Salay said. 鈥淗e had quite the finger-picking style. It was a gentle, finger-picking style. He also had a big, warm, friendly voice. He knew lots of songs鈥� just an amazing repertoire, and he loved to share music with people. He was always digging up songs for people and telling them, 鈥榊ou should play this. It鈥檇 be great for you.鈥欌��
But Morgan wasn鈥檛 just generous with song selections.
鈥淗e gave us an electric guitar and amp to use as a 鈥榟ouse guitar鈥� at the art gallery,鈥� said Thor Froslev, BAG owner. 鈥淗e was very, very generous like that.鈥�
In fact, Morgan loved pairing musicians with good instruments, much to the benefit of local players.
鈥淗e always had his nose in stores or on Craigslist looking for good deals on instruments,鈥� Salay said. 鈥淚f anyone needed a guitar or bass, he could find it for you cheap.鈥�
Morgan even lent Kyle his own bass guitar to use while he scouted out a deal for her.
鈥淚 played his bass when I started learning, until he found one for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 also the one who found me my first good guitar. I don鈥檛 know how many students have benefitted from him getting them a good guitar.鈥�
Morgan was also a fixture at the BAG鈥檚 monthly open jams.
鈥淗e was the strongest player at the jams,鈥� Kyle said. 鈥淗e had such a really good sense of rhythm.鈥�
鈥淭his guy was good,鈥� Froslev said.
Salay said although he was indeed a strong player, Morgan wasn鈥檛 the type to try to take centre stage or upstage anyone else.
鈥淚 think when he moved to Squamish, he found a really friendly music scene,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e all help each other out, and he liked that. The jam was one of his favourite things. I don鈥檛 think he had missed a jam in five years.鈥�
He liked the BAG鈥檚 jam night so much that he had just taken over hosting the evening before he died.
鈥淚 asked Rick to do it, and it wasn鈥檛 even a matter of discussing it,鈥� said Froslev. 鈥淗e just said, 鈥楽ure. No problem.鈥� That鈥檚 the way he was. He was a perfect guitar player, and a perfect gentleman.鈥�
On April 6, just three days before his death, Morgan hosted his first Acoustic Jam.
鈥淲hen he hosted the jam, all the old timers who hadn鈥檛 been there in a while showed up,鈥� Kyle said. 鈥淚t was a great night.鈥�
Adding that Morgan was a gentle and patient music teacher as well, Kyle said his death was a big blow to the local music community.
鈥淧ersonally, working with Rick was my best musical experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd his passing has left not only a big hole in my life, but in Squamish鈥檚 music scene.鈥�
Morgan鈥檚 friends will perform some of his songs on May 16 during the official launch of the Sea to Sky Gondola, according to Salay.
鈥淗e was a big supporter of the gondola, and very excited about it,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or the launch we are going to be performing a couple of his songs, and using his guitar to play them.鈥�
In lieu of flowers, Morgan鈥檚 family requested donations be made to Operation Smile (operationsmile.org).
