"Bonny Morgan is a Secret Weapon"
...Ron Brooker, baritone sax, clarinet, music educator, Toronto.
|
Click the pic to read article
|
A native of California, Bonny has been a professional singer since age
14. She has performed in Japan, China, many venues in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Korea, Hawaii, and as a vocalist for Royal
Caribbean Cruise Lines, where she met her Canadian husband, and now resides in Ontario Canada.
Since she's been in Toronto, Bonny has had the pleasure of performing at many venues and special events. As a special guest
of Stouffville's Mayor Sue Sherban in 2006, City of Toronto's Summer Jazz series at Nathan Phillip's Square, The Canadian
Cancer Society's Relay to end Breast Cancer, The City of Toronto's Scotiabank Jazz Cafe Stage, Nathan Phillip's square winterfest,(as
seen on City TV) Royal York Hotel, Windsor Arms Hotel, Hard Rock Cafe, Niagara Fallsview Casino, Esplanade bier Markt, Toronto
Metro Convention Center,C'est what and many clubs and private events as well.
Back in Los Angeles, Bonny was a member of many bands such as Blowin' Smoke, led by Larry 'Fuzzy' Knight, as one of the three
'Fabulous Smoke-ettes'.
Bonny was also a member of the distinguished band Priority One, headed up by very sweet guy and session trumpet player
Alex Cabrera. This band also included such famous studio/live players as Russ Miller (Nellie Furtado) etc and Yamaha Drum
educator/clinician. Piete Miller (keys player for Prince)
Zorro, (drummer for Bobby Brown and author on a series of books on funk drumming.) Other members such as John Borolla,
Tai Stick, Roger Rivas and Freddie Fox, played with Eric Benet, Jeffrey Osbourne, LTD, Tower of Power, Lou Bega, Tierra, and
the list goes on.
While in priority one, Bonny had the pleasure of singing with one of the most famous disco divas of all, when Evelyn Champagne
King, joined Bonny on stage at 'The Hop' club in Los Angeles, to sing her hit Shame.
While in Los Angeles, Bonny worked as a studio vocalist for various songwriter demos, and studied the Meisner acting technique
at Playhouse West in North Hollywood, best known for its teacher Jeff Goldblum, and famous students such as Ashley Judd.
Bonny was also a member of the group The Improvables, headed up by Alan Chan, and did improv comedy shows at the world
famous Los Angeles Improv Comedy Clubs.
Going back a little further:
Fresh out of High School, Bonny attended the Professional Recording Program at Golden West College in Huntington Beach
California.
While at Goldenwest College, Bonny met Jeff Sergenti, a promising young songwriter whom Bonny worked with and co-wrote.
Their songs won places on the program's CD compilation. Jeff got them a gig in Hawaii, and together with other members, Bonny
did her first traveling gig. From that point, she was hooked. Since then, she has had many adventures playing hundreds of
shows overseas, in the US, and now Canada as well.
After years of various performing, and having lived in Sunny California all her life, Bonny met her husband while doing
one of the three Royal Caribbean contracts, (It really is 'The Love Boat'), After getting married and settling in Toronto,
Bonny began playing guitar and actively returning to songwriting, as she had done during her days of attending the Goldenwest
College studio/performance program.
Bonny has learned the true meaning of winter, and how important it is to have good snow boots.
GOING BACK EVEN FURTHER...
Bonny Morgan is the product of a single parent household, and the only child of a failed second marriage. Bonny was a
'latch -key kid' and amused herself by listening to the extensive music library her mother Virginia amassed from thrift store
shopping. Virginia was a huge music fan and in her youth played clarinet and was likened by her teachers to Benny Goodman.
If times were different, Virginia might have been given the chance to explore her musical talents. Alas, life intervenes
and the needs of children came first. From Virginia's first marriage, she had three other children, Kristine, Larry and Jerry.
Through Virginia's varied interests in different music, Bonny was exposed to R&B, Soul, Country, Big Band, Jazz and
vocal greats such as Frank Sinatra, Jennifer Holliday, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Bassey, Lainie Kazan, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald,
Sammy Davis Jr. and especially Barbra Streisand.
DURING ALL THESE YEARS OF PERFORMING, IT'S NECESSARY FOR MOST ARTISTS TO HAVE SOME OTHER TYPE OF JOB.
HERE ARE A FEW OF BONNY'S: (VISIT THE BONBLOG FOR STORIES ABOUT A FEW OF THEM).
WAITRESS,
MAKEUP ARTIST,
STAND-IN
HOSTESS
WAX MUSEUM ATTENDANT
PHOTO BOOTH SNAPSHOT GIRL
ANTIQUES/DOLLS SALESPERSON
DRIVER/DELIVERY PERSON
HOUSEWARES SALESPERSON (TRY THE BISSELL)
TEMP SECRETARY
TEMP RECEPTIONIST
WAITRESS (AGAIN).
FILM PRODUCTION WORKER
WARDROBE MISTRESS
CRAFT SERVICE PERSON
ACTOR
DATA ENTRY CLERK (55 WPM!!)
FILM EXTRA
PERFUME COMPANY REP
FLORAL DESIGNER
Also, Is there a name for those people who stand outside the movie theaters in Pasadena trying to get you to go to a
free screening? Yeah, one of those.
|