Morgan Heritage lead singer – Peter Anthony Morgan, passed on last night, February 25, aged 46. The Morgan family and Grammy-winning reggae band – Morgan Heritage, announced his death.
The band said, in a statement released on their X page, that: “It is out of sincere love that we share that our beloved husband, father, brother, son and lead singer of Morgan Heritage – Peter Anthony Morgan, has ascended today, February 25, 2024”
The statement thanked the public and fans for the support, but also asked for respect of privacy as they go through the time of healing. At the moment, the actual cause of death is yet to be established.
Peter last visited Uganda in April 2023, when he, together with his brother Mojo Morgan, had come for The Homeland album listeners’ party, at Cielo Lounge, Kampala. The band had performed for the first time in Uganda, in 2017, at Lugogo Cricket Oval, Kampala.
Peter: From a soul and Hip-Hop fan, to a reggae devotee
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, in 1977, to Minott and Denroy Morgan, Peter was always destined to do music. Although him and his siblings were not born in Jamaica, they grew up in a city that so many Jamaicans, especially in the 60s, called home.
As a teenager, his choice of music, as expected, was mostly shaped by what he grew up listening to, in the area he grew up.
In an interview with Reggeaville.com, in 2009, a revered reggae music news outlet, Peter revealed that his sound stems from the musicians he grew up listening to. He mentions soul vocalist Stevie Wonder, soul singer and keyboardist Donny Hathaway, and quite peculiar, the gangster rap music of Andre Romell Young a.k.a “Dr. Dre”
However, Peter intimated that his parents always made sure Jamaican culture and roots were deeply embedded in the family, especially through music. “We were Americans at school, but once we got home, it was all about Jamaica” he said.
Apart from his father playing a lot of Toots and the Maytals music at home, Peter said he was never consumed by Jamaican music, until later in the early 90s, when the death of roots reggae singer, Garnet Silk, opened his eyes to the realities of reggae music.
“When Silk died, I listened to a lot of reggae then. There was something about him,” he said
In 1994, Peter and his siblings Roy “Gramps” Morgan, Una Morgan, Nakhamya “Lukes” Morgan and Memmalatel “Mojo” Morgan, formed the Morgan Heritage band, taking over the legacy of their father Denroy Morgan – a revered Jamaican reggae enthusiast.
Their reggae career was kick-started by their father, who, in the 80s and early 90s, would rehearse with them in New York. The band would start doing tours, before officially releasing their first album – Miracles, in 1994.
They would follow this up with Protect Us Jah in 1997, One Calling in 1998, Dont Haffi Dread in 1999, Live in Europe in 2000, which followed their Europe tour, More Teachings in 2001, Three in One in 2003, a series of complications dubbed in Morgan Heritage Family and Friends between 2004 and 2005
In 2015, they released Strictly Roots, a roots reggae album that won them a Grammy award for best reggae album in 2016.
At the time of Peter’s death, Morgan Heritage had just released their latest album – The Homeland, an idea that was crafted with the sole purpose of connecting more with their African roots.
Following their concert in Kenya, in 2015, the band spent a lot of time in Africa, continuing to realise their connection to the motherland.
For close to three decades, Peter “Peetah” Morgan has been the distinctive voice of the Morgan Heritage band. In fact, unless you were an avid fan of the band’s music over the years, you could struggle singing along the lyrics of the other band members, in most of the music.
Peter’s voice has undoubtedly shaped most of the band’s memorable reggea anthems. When you listen to songs Down by the River, Don’t Haffi Dread, How Come, She’s Still Loving Me and many more, you cannot help but remember vividly how influential Peter has been to the group.
His influence in the band can best be likened to what Ali Campbell was to the original UB40 band. Or what Moses Matovu is to Uganda’s Afrigo Band.
Ugandan musicians pay tribute
Since 2017, when the band came to Uganda, the local industry has had a fair share of the Peter’s artistry through various ways. And thus, some of the artists have already shared their thoughts about the late.
Eddy Kenzo, who got to work with the Morgan Heritage band on their latest album The Homeland, recording two songs – U got to See the World, and Long To Be Home, took to his X page to say, “You have been called to Sing with the Angels Rasta. May the heavens receive you well”
Jose Chameleone, who also worked with the band on the same album, recording a song titled Ready, which also featured Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale, posted his heartfelt message on X, saying, “Oh No! Morgan Heritage, Gramps Morgan, I love you my family! PETER, we love you so much! It’s so heart-breaking.”
Bebe Cool, whose musicality has some inclination to reggae, expressed his pain towards the loss reggea music has suffered. Bebe Cool said on X that: “The reggae world has been hit by the sudden demise of a legend – Peter Morgan. You will live on as your life was written for reggae for life. RIP.”
This morning, musician-cum-politician Bobi Wine has also said a few kind words about the late, saying, It’s sad to learn about the sudden death of Peter Morgan, the lead singer of the Morgan Heritage band. Rest in paradise, Rasta. Jah know.
