Michael McMorrow is a composer, record producer and recording artist as well as producer for some of Washington State’s most prestigious and beneficial music events. He, along with Brendan Hill of the Grammy-award winning rock band Blues Traveler, is also a founding member of the nationally recognized rock band Stolen Ogre.

He’s is currently producing Synergia Northwest, a concert event to raise funds and awareness for youth music in the Pacific Northwest, Spring 2010. He partners in the project with Dr. Bret P. Smith, Assistant Professor, Central Washington University’s Department of Music who is a teacher educator and conductor specializing in instrumental music education. Synergia NW has the support and involvement of Alan White, drummer/keyboardist/composer of the legendary band Yes (and solo work with John Lennon and George Harrison), who along with McMorrow and Smith are ready to collaborate on original music for the event. Synergia NW also has the support and involvement of Seattle Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Young Musicians Excelling Chair, Maestro Gerard Schwarz, Young Musicians Excelling, the Washington Music Educators Association and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Synergia NW will feature area classical and contemporary musicians joining forces to showcase the brilliant variety of the area’s musical traditions. Through Music Aid Northwest, a Washington State 501(c)(3) organization, net funds will be directed to foundations such as Young Musicians Excelling (through Washington Music Educators Association) and organizations like the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. The project will involve selected young musicians from All-Star groups, regional youth and public school orchestras and Seattle music professionals joining for a concert of music from traditional and modern compositions, Northwest indigenous artists as well as original orchestrations and arrangements of regional composers.

A Washington State native, McMorrow has long combined his professional music career with musical efforts that enhanced awareness and funding to many organizations and communities. On Harmony For Humanity, a national violence prevention program, he wrote and produced public affairs programming for commercial radio and obtained sponsorships from KISW, the H.O.R.D.E. Festival across 42 cities and partners included Sony Music/NY and Epic Records/NY/LA. The program also networked with various national and statewide domestic violence programs and coalitions. McMorrow produced the internationally documented Support the Troops Concert for Peace Benefit – Paramount Theater, the documented event aided the International and American Red Cross during the 1991 Gulf War Crisis. Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson debut their Lovemongers band and among many others including Chris Cornell, Alice in Chains, and McMorrow’s band the Yarddogs. Artis the Spoonman, Adefua African Music and Dance, Total Experience Gospel Choir, Jim Page, Orville Johnson.

Other events include: Seattle Firefighter Benefit - King Performance Center for the four firefighter families affected by Seattle’s Mary Pang Warehouse Fire (1995)The KISW sponsored concert featured The Posies and Hater (members of Soundgarden) and Inflatable Soul. Picnic on the Green Snoqualmie Winery, sponsored by KEZX Radio and benefiting the area’s children featuring Grammy award winners Tingstad and Rumble and Michael Gettle. Puget Soundkeepers Benefit for the Northwest Enviromental Agency with featured artist international Reggae star Dennis Brown.

Michael produced and established the first KMTT Radio Winter Warmth Concert, February 6th, 1994. This ongoing concert series benefits "First Place" A school for children in transition. This concert featured Rumors of the Big Wave, Frank Cox of the Lovemongers, The Yarddogs, Tiny Hat Orchestra, Kristen Barry, Symon Asher .

As a musician Michael has performed onstage with artists such as Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Taj Mahal, Riki Lee Jones, Blues Traveler among others. Blues Traveler front-man John Popper joined McMorrow and his band Stolen Ogre at the Music Aid Northwest and KZOK Radio’s benefit, The Tsunami Relief Concert and was the featured keyboardist for The Alan White All Star Jam Band at Alan’s Hurricane Katrina Relief Concert.

Composing and performing music has long been a part of Michael Morrow’s life. His first training came from his Texas-born mother, and from his Irish-born grandfather, a fiddler. At age 11, he was writing, arranging and performing his own compositions on the piano, at 12 he won California’s statewide Young Composers Competition. He later he continued to write and play original music with his band The Yarddogs. The group would go on to perform with such artists as Delbert McClinton, Jefferson Airplane, Paul Rodgers and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. In addition to performing, he worked along side nationally syndicated host Bob Rivers in the launch of Twisted Radio producing the show from KISW/Seattle. After The Yarddogs, Michael toured as part of the nationwide Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere (H.O.R.D.E.) Festival that featured artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Lenny Kravitz, Natalie Merchant and Blues Traveler.

It was during that time that McMorrow met Blues Traveler’s Brendan Hill and the two decided to form a band. The band, Stolen Ogre, went on to be a National 2005 Relix Magazine Jamoff Winner with the McMorrow composed “Icing” and was featured in a Relix nationally distributed compilation CD. During this time the band completed a successful tour of the Northeast, garnered national college radio airplay and was highlighted as “Top Bands To Watch.” among some the best unsigned bands in the country in Relix’s December/January 2006 issue.

In 2007 new material from McMorrow began to emerge. Recorded at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, WA, the material includes a brand new McMorrow composition "Tequila Mockingbird" that features Harmonica Virtuoso and Blues Traveler Front Man John Popper.

McMorrow has volunteered with prisoners at the Monroe Reformatory, and is an active supporter of public school music programs. “It’s crucial to keep music and art in our schools,” says Michael, "It is crucial we pass this power to them, allowing them opportunities to see the world through an artists heart" adding, “Children are our only hope.”

In addition to developing the youth music oriented Synergia Northwest, McMorrow is currently working on Stolen Ogre’s next recording, is on the airstaff of WARM 106.9 FM as well as an advisory board member of Music Aid Northwest.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brenna Davenport-Leigh/Publicist
Hellbender
1300 Division St., Ste.205
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone 615-726-0727
Hellbender@comcast.net