Remembering Bill Morrissey

Bill Morrissey was a great writer - not just a songwriter, but a critically praised novelist. He was a disciple of bluesmen like Mississippi John Hurt and a mentor to younger songwriters like Ellis Paul. Unfortunately, like far too many writers, he had a serious drinking problem, which had threatened his health for years.

When I interviewed him three years ago for the "Sunday Breakfast," he seemed to have straightened out, but it appears that his body finally gave out last weekend, and he died at the age of 59. I'll replay highlights of that interview this Sunday morning, but I'll feel his loss, as will so many others, for years to come. Here are some memories of Bill from his friends:

Lucy Kaplansky:

I met Bill in the early 80's in Greenwich Village, and we became good friends immediately.  I loved his songs, and I started performing one of them, Texas Blues, right away, eventually recording it, as well as another song of his, Love Song New York.  He was a brilliant songwriter and performer, and a wonderful, smart, hilarious guy.  I'll miss him.

Ellis Paul:

Knowing Bill was like having Van Gogh as a friend. He was complicated, charming, certainly one of our finest American songwriters for folk and blues. He produced my first album and spent hours talking to me about everything, he wanted me to skip ahead a little, learn from what he learned, his mistakes his Successes.

I know I drove him crazy. I was like a puppy around him at times. Over eager. I cant put a price tag on what he did for me. He said, pay me by doing the same thing for somebody else coming up. So, antje duvekot and peyton tochterman, and quite a few others are getting bill morrisseys paycheck. And countless to come, cause they have to pay me back the same way. He told me I was getting Dave Van Ronks paycheck. I love that.

Kelly Flint:

I can say stuff about his music but that is the part of him that everyone knows and his music was so deep and beautifully wrought that it really speaks for itself.

But he was such a fun person to be with. He and I went on the road quite often for awhile and spent days together at a time. He was so observant of people and situations, and had such an eye for the comedic. I always felt like I could be fully myself with him, he was ever non-judgemental and upbeat.

But he needed to not drink. And he couldn't not drink. It just wasn't something he could wrap his head around as being possible for him.  He suffered from terrible stage fright, despite his consummate entertainment skills and that was part of it. The rest of it was just that people who need to get sober the most are not always the people who want to. And he really didn't want to.

I love Bill Morrissey-- so did we all--and I hope he is finally able to relax and be at peace. I have a message on my voicemail from July 15th and he said he couldn't wait to play me his new songs. I hope they are recorded or written down somewhere...he said they were his best ever and I've never known him to be wrong about the quality of his work.