Morgan James: Call My Name

There are singers who can perform a great song. Then there are interpreters who can make us hear something in it differently. Morgan James has built a remarkable career doing just that.

Her most recent studio project, Soul Remains the Same, takes heavy rock songs from the ’80s and ’90s and reimagines them through a classic soul lens and feminine perspective. It is an adventurous concept, but the instinct behind it has been present in James’ work for years. Perhaps no song demonstrates that history more clearly than “Call My Name.”

Written and originally recorded by Prince, “Call My Name” had been part of James’ musical life long before she recorded it for Hunter. James has said she sang the song in the first solo show she ever performed. She created her own arrangement, continued performing it for years and eventually made it a regular encore. Her connection to the composition was also specific: James has said she loved the song from a woman’s perspective, describing what she found in it as intimate and tender.

Eventually, she wanted to record it. James played her version for L.A. Reid, who loved it, but permission was not immediate. According to James, Prince’s lawyer initially said no, and Hunter was first released without the song. Reid then contacted Prince and asked him to listen. Prince did, and James says he loved her version. Clearance was granted.

The significance of that moment has remained with her. Nearly a decade later, James described Prince hearing “Call My Name,” loving it, allowing her to release it and giving his blessing for a video as one of the major milestones of her career. It is an extraordinary chapter in the story of an interpreter, but it is only part of the Morgan James story.

James has never been limited to finding herself inside someone else’s music. She writes her own. Berry Gordy Jr., who became a mentor during her time in Motown: The Musical, encouraged James to write, go deeper, find her sound and remain true to it. That development can be heard across her catalog. James has said she co-wrote nine of the 14 songs on Hunter, and Reckless Abandon later presented 12 original songs that she co-wrote.

Then came Memphis Magnetic. For that album, James was explicit about the goal: connect with the tradition of great soul music, but do it with original material. Among those songs is one of our favorites, “You Know My Name,” written by James and Doug Wamble as part of the material created for the album.

The song sits deeply within the tradition James was seeking to explore. American Songwriter reported that its connection to the Al Green sound was strong enough that Green’s keyboardist and bassist were brought in to play on the recording. For an artist whose ability to reinterpret a song had already received Prince’s personal approval, “You Know My Name” offers another view of her artistry. Here, James is not beginning with a composition someone else created. She is helping create the song itself.

The connection between the two sides of her catalog is easy to hear. When Morgan James interprets a song, we hear what she discovers within it. When she writes one, we hear that musical perspective from its beginning.

Prince heard Morgan James sing “Call My Name.” For listeners who know James through the songs she has so masterfully reimagined, there is another side of her catalog equally worth knowing: the songs she helped create.

One of our favorites is “You Know My Name.” And it is a fitting place to hear Morgan James not only as the interpreter, but as the songwriter.

Visit MorganJamesOnline.com for more information and tour schedule

Follow @MorganAJames

Stream Morgan James wherever you stream your music

Keymark Television Network is committed to highlighting the stories, artistry, and achievements of creators, entrepreneurs, and cultural innovators across the globe. Through exclusive interviews, original programming, and special features, Keymark Television Network delivers compelling content that informs, inspires, and connects audiences worldwide. The television and media network partners with both established and emerging voices, bridging entertainment and empowerment through storytelling that leaves a lasting mark.

Contact:
Communications Department
Keymark Television Network
communications@keymarktelevision.com