Episode 33
Patrice Morris: Bringing Motown Magic to the Coachella Valley
Join Bonnie G on The Desert Scene as she welcomes the incredibly talented Patrice Morris, a member of the legendary group The 5th Dimension. Patrice shares her journey from her gospel roots in Mississippi to performing at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel every Wednesday night, where she captivates audiences with Motown classics and more. She discusses her longstanding partnership with her husband, who has been her manager for over 45 years, and how their daily routine includes prayer, reflecting their deep Christian values. Listeners will also learn about Patrice's upcoming performances, including a special New Year's Eve show and her monthly gigs at Idyllwild. Tune in to discover more about Patrice's musical journey and the vibrant cultural scene of the Coachella Valley!
Takeaways:
- Patrice Morris performs every Wednesday at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel from 6 to 9 PM, showcasing Motown and other classic hits.
- She has been touring with the Fifth Dimension for 18 years, featuring original member Florence LaRue in her performances.
- Patrice's husband has been her manager since the beginning of her career, providing constant support throughout her journey.
- She started singing at the age of five, coming from a musical family that encouraged her talent in gospel music.
- Patrice emphasizes the importance of prayer in her life, sharing that she prays daily with her husband before performances.
- Her gospel music career includes four CDs, showcasing her talent and dedication to encouraging music.
#PatriceMorris #FifthDimension #CoachellaValley #LiveMusic #Motown #GospelMusic #IndianWellsResortHotel #TheDesertScenePodcast #BonnieG #PerformingArts #MusicInterviews #Entertainment #CaliforniaMusicScene #OriginalMembersFifthDimension #MusicCareer #CulturalEvents #LivePerformances #Idyllwild #ElPortalMexicanRestaurant #MusicFestivals #MutualBroadcastingSystem
Transcript
In a land of sunshine where the palm trees sway There's a special show to brighten up your day.
Bonnie G:From rockin festivals to Broadway dreams, Tune in with Bonnie G.
Bonnie G:It's a desert scene.
Bonnie G:The Desert Scene with Bonnie G.
Bonnie G:Meet the stars and feel the beat from the Coachella Valley is the place to be for all the culture, fun and har.
Bonnie G:The desert sea.
Patrice Morris:Yeah.
Bonnie G:With Bonnie G.
Mutual Broadcasting:Mutual Broadcasting welcomes you to the desert scene.
Mutual Broadcasting:Featuring conversations with the people who make culture, art and entertainment happen in the Coachella Valley.
Mutual Broadcasting:From local theater to live music, art exhibits to cinema and beyond, the desert scene is presented by El Puerto Mexican Restaurant in Cathedral City.
Mutual Broadcasting:Now here is your host, Bonnie G.
Host:And welcome to the desert scene.
Host:Very happy to have you here and very happy to welcome to the show Patrice Morris, a buddy of mine.
Host:We just performed recently at the jam session for, well, in the Desert.
Host:This woman can sing.
Host:Sing, sing, sing.
Host:She's amazing.
Host:Welcome, Patrice.
Host:Thanks for being here.
Patrice Morris:Oh, my pleasure.
Patrice Morris:Thanks for having me.
Host:So, a couple things.
Host:First of all, I want to let people know, if they don't, that every Wednesday you are at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel.
Host:So tell people a little bit about what they can expect if they come see you there.
Patrice Morris:Well, it's Motown, Motown, Motown and other great, great songs that I'm sure they already know.
Patrice Morris:I am there every Wednesday evening from 6 to 9.
Patrice Morris:I am on a little leave right now because I'm traveling with my group, the Fifth Dimension.
Patrice Morris:So I'll be back there on December 11th.
Patrice Morris:So I'll be out for a minute.
Patrice Morris:And then just to let everyone know, I'll be there again New Year's Eve.
Patrice Morris:I'm going to take a break and then New Year's Eve will be back and then of course, resuming back in January.
Patrice Morris:Every win.
Host:Excellent.
Host:So now let's talk about the Fifth Dimension for a second.
Host:So you tour with them now.
Host:Are there, are there any original members from the 5th Dimension touring with you?
Patrice Morris:Yes, absolutely.
Patrice Morris:There has to be.
Patrice Morris:Well, the rule is you have to have at least one original member to continue.
Patrice Morris:Yes.
Patrice Morris:So I'm with Florence LaRue, who is original member.
Patrice Morris:And of course, Marilyn and Billy have branched off on their own and they're still touring as well.
Patrice Morris:But yes, I'm with Florence LaRue and three other gentlemen who will be joining me.
Patrice Morris: l be joining me in next year,: Patrice Morris:So please, you know, just keep up with us.
Patrice Morris:Check me out on Facebook and hopefully, yeah, you guys will come and you'll enjoy the show.
Host:So tell.
Host:How did that come about?
Host:How long have you been touring with them?
Patrice Morris:18 years.
Host:Wow.
Patrice Morris:I know.
Host:That's a long time.
Patrice Morris:It is.
Patrice Morris:I tell the story that I'm a Mississippi girl, met a California guy in college in Mississippi.
Patrice Morris:I got a full ride, private hbcu, and we met, got married, he brought me to California, and a few years later, actually meeting the Fifth Dimension.
Patrice Morris:It was so crazy because they have had a few replacements for Marilyn McCoo and they needed someone.
Patrice Morris:And I tell the story that someone told someone the time.
Patrice Morris:Talk to someone.
Patrice Morris:They talk to somebody else.
Patrice Morris:To talk to somebody else that mentioned me.
Host:Yeah.
Patrice Morris:And I went for audition and they hired me right away.
Host:Wow.
Host:That's fabulous.
Host:So let's talk about your husband.
Host:So one of the things that I love to talk to other performers about is I'm guessing that he's very supportive of what you do of your career.
Patrice Morris:Very supportive.
Patrice Morris:He's my manager.
Patrice Morris:Been my manager since my career began.
Patrice Morris:Well, since we've been married.
Patrice Morris:We've been together for 45 years, and he's been my manager.
Patrice Morris:I've been in the gospel arena for years.
Patrice Morris:I've always done, like, weddings and things like that, but never lounges until I came to California.
Patrice Morris:And so even though I continued in the gospel arena, I did lounges.
Patrice Morris:And that's why I met a young lady who's a promoter in Palm Springs and brought me to Palm Springs.
Patrice Morris:And life just changed.
Patrice Morris:But my husband continued to be my manager, which I cannot do without him because I sing.
Patrice Morris:He does everything else.
Host:Yeah.
Patrice Morris:Standing up.
Patrice Morris:Oh, yeah.
Patrice Morris:Oh, yeah.
Host:Great time.
Host:So let's talk about how you started.
Host:Now.
Host:Did you start singing as a kid?
Host:Did you start in the church?
Host:Or how did you.
Host:How did you first find out you had a voice?
Patrice Morris:I did.
Patrice Morris:I started at the age five.
Patrice Morris:I come from a singing family at the age five.
Patrice Morris:We were all young, but we had harmony even then because my parents sang, especially my mother there would.
Patrice Morris:She had 12 siblings, and they were great.
Patrice Morris:Wow.
Patrice Morris:And so we.
Patrice Morris:There were six of us, and we just began singing and realized we had this talent.
Patrice Morris:And I just.
Patrice Morris:I began singing and my career took off.
Patrice Morris:And so go ahead.
Host:Did you take off as a solo artist?
Host:Did you guys sing together as a group for a while, or did you kind of take off right away?
Patrice Morris:We did.
Patrice Morris:We sang for a group for a while, but we were very young, in our teens, you know, again, a gospel group that was traveling with other gospel groups at the time in Mississippi and then.
Patrice Morris:But I always sang solo, even with.
Patrice Morris:Even with, you know, even when I was with the group.
Patrice Morris:So I've always done solo and again, gospel.
Patrice Morris:And then I got signed a couple of times by a couple of record labels and.
Host:Excellent.
Patrice Morris:And my career.
Patrice Morris:Yeah, my career just took off.
Host:Now, was your.
Host:Were your parents and your family, was everyone supportive of you doing this for a living?
Host:Was that like, they're like, go, Patrice.
Patrice Morris:Well.
Patrice Morris:Well, they were supportive, I would say, especially with the gospel, because we're Christians and they didn't want me out there because all they could see was singing in a night's club with smoking and drinking dangers.
Host:Yeah, yeah.
Patrice Morris:Yes.
Patrice Morris:So that was what they saw.
Patrice Morris:So they were not supportive of that.
Patrice Morris:And then I.
Patrice Morris:So I never did do that scene.
Patrice Morris:I'm saying, even I got blessed to do lounges.
Patrice Morris:It was always a really cool place, so I didn't have to do the same that I guess they didn't approve of.
Patrice Morris:Yeah, but fifth dimension, I mean, you know, when you get an opportunity.
Patrice Morris:And it did the same with the fifth dimension, to be honest, I was still skeptical because I was a church girl and I talked to my bishop about it, and my bishop says, I love the fifth dimension.
Patrice Morris:Go and make your money.
Host:Yeah.
Host:All right.
Host:So that was kind of the green light.
Host:All right.
Patrice Morris:Yeah.
Patrice Morris:I mean, who doesn't like the songs?
Patrice Morris:The songs are great.
Host:Oh, sure.
Host:Oh, my gosh.
Patrice Morris:And they.
Patrice Morris:Yeah.
Patrice Morris:And they still.
Patrice Morris:They still.
Patrice Morris:We still feel arenas, so.
Host:Excellent.
Host:Let's take a.
Host:Let's take a very, very quick break on the desert scene with Patrice Morris.
Host:We'll be right back.
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Host:And we're back on the desert scene.
Host:Let's Talk about your recordings.
Host:You said you were signed a couple times by record labels.
Host:So do you have several CDs out there that people can find?
Patrice Morris:I do.
Patrice Morris:I have four gospel CDs as a matter of fact.
Patrice Morris:And then I have a couple of singers, singles, they're all on YouTube and of course I have some here that if people want to purchase them, I usually bring them to my shows.
Patrice Morris:Again, they're gospel, but I still have them with me.
Patrice Morris:Very encouraging music.
Patrice Morris:So yeah, you know, they're very enjoyable.
Host:So the Indian Wells Resort Hotel is lovely.
Host:If you haven't been there, it's really, really lovely.
Host:Your show's at 6pm and now do you sing with a trio?
Host:Do you sing with tracks or how does that work?
Patrice Morris:I sing with tracks there, but I do a lot of private shows that sometimes require band and if they do, I have a band at Indian Wales.
Patrice Morris:There are several things happening.
Patrice Morris:For instance, I sing with girls called Women of Soul and we do a special retreat, the Franklin Show Quarterly.
Patrice Morris:So that's going to be coming up again this coming year and they are wonderful again again with tracks.
Patrice Morris:But the blend is so beautiful.
Patrice Morris:And then like I said, I even two of the guys from the fifth dimension will be joining me for a couple of shows.
Patrice Morris:I have a saxophone as who will be coming from la.
Patrice Morris:He's good.
Patrice Morris:I even have a comedian that's coming and she's crazy good.
Host:Okay, excellent.
Patrice Morris:I have a lot of entertainment because again I am known in the gospel arena and these people gospel as well.
Patrice Morris:But they also do shows like I do.
Patrice Morris:So I was a lot.
Patrice Morris:I'm allowed to bring in good company.
Host:Excellent.
Patrice Morris:So just again, follow me.
Host:Yeah, so I love to ask performers, do you have any, I mean given that your background is gospel stuff.
Host:I'm imagining prayer is part of it.
Host:But do you have any other sort of rituals before you do a show, before you go out on stage that you do well?
Patrice Morris:Yeah, well, my husband and I.
Patrice Morris:Well, my husband and I walk every day two miles and during that time we pray.
Patrice Morris:Like I say with Chris, as Christians, we do pray religiously and we pray for everybody.
Patrice Morris:Everybody, everybody.
Patrice Morris:The people who we are involved with, the people, you know, we move to this beautiful place.
Patrice Morris:We pray for people, we even pray for you.
Patrice Morris:Even I don't call your name, but we ask God to just bless everybody and keep everybody.
Patrice Morris:So that's been our lives forever.
Patrice Morris:And I'm also a minister.
Host:Multi talented.
Host:So I love, I love to ask folks if you go to a, you know, like a nice place, a Professional jam session or a friend of yours has a gig and they say, hey, Patrice, come on up and sing something.
Host:Do you have a go to song, a song that you would pull out at a time like that?
Patrice Morris:Well, it's according to if it's gospel or if it's, you know, secular.
Patrice Morris:If it's gospel, there's a gospel artist named Yolanda Adams.
Patrice Morris:She's really, really good.
Patrice Morris:And I usually p from her songs because they're just very encouraging.
Patrice Morris:Secular, my goodness, is hard to choose.
Patrice Morris:Aretha Franklin is always.
Patrice Morris:Yeah, everybody knows her.
Patrice Morris:So it's really easy to do an Aretha Franklin or pull out a Gladys Knight.
Host:Oh, yeah.
Patrice Morris:Or even a Chakra Khan.
Patrice Morris:But I would say.
Patrice Morris:I would.
Patrice Morris:I would even.
Patrice Morris:I would say Aretha.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Yeah.
Host:Well, I tell you what.
Host:The other night, Patrice Moore, she.
Host:She brought the house down with her singing.
Host:So you need to check her out.
Host:Every Wednesday, Indian Wells Resort Hotel, 6pm Also, go on Facebook, check her out.
Host:Patrice Moore's the Fifth Dimension.
Host:Check out where they're going to be.
Host:Then New Year's Eve, she's back at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel.
Host:You are just a joy.
Host:Thank you so much, Patrice, for your talent.
Host:And thanks for being here today.
Host:Really, really appreciate it.
Patrice Morris:Thank you.
Patrice Morris:If I can mention one more time, once a month, I'm at Idyllwild.
Patrice Morris:I'm in Idyllwild at this place called Middle Ridge Winery.
Patrice Morris:So if you all know anyone there, come.
Host:All right, Patrice Morris, thank you so much.
Host:Have a wonderful day, and we'll see the rest of you the next time.
Host:On the desert Scene with Bonnie G.
Bonnie G:Meet the stars and feel the beat from the Coachella Valley it's the place to be for all the culture, fun and harmony.
Bonnie G:The desert scene, yeah.
Bonnie G:I'm with Bonnie G.
Bonnie G:To the desert there's scenes where you belong With Mutual Broadcasting.
Bonnie G:Bonnie G.
Bonnie G:Just sing along Just sing along.
