Esteemed Entertainment Journalist, Author Edward Morris Dies at 90

Respected Nashville entertainment journalist and author Edward Morris died on Thursday (Sept. 17) at age 90.

Morris is known for his 14-year tenure at Billboard, as well as a 20-year role writing for CMT’s online platform. Morris also wrote for Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide, Bluegrass Unlimited and The Journal of Country Music. He was an author of eight books and wrote poetry as well as a theatrical production.

Born on Sept. 21, 1935, Morris grew up in West Virginia. He served as the editor of the Elkview High School newspaper and went on to enroll at Morris Harvey College (now known as the University of Charleston), where he edited the college paper and studied English literature and poetry. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1958, followed by a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio University. While at OU, Morris met musical theater performer Norma Chapman. They wed in 1960 and were married for 61 years.

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Morris taught journalism and English at Alice Lloyd College (Kentucky), Bowling Green State University (Ohio), Edinboro State College (Pennsylvania) and Findlay College (Ohio), before serving as an assistant editor at Writer’s Digest.

His work with Billboard began in 1972 when he began writing freelance articles for the publication. He moved to Nashville in 1980 and joined Billboard‘s staff full-time in 1981. Morris became Billboard‘s country music editor and chief Nashville columnist, while Norma became a Nashville publicist working with artists including Ralph Stanley and Steve Wariner. Morris left Billboard in 1995.

Beyond his work for Billboard, Morris wrote for publications including Advertising Age, TV Guide, McCall’s, Hollywood Reporter, Amusement Business, Book Page, The Journal Of Country Music, Mother Earth News, Bluegrass Unlimited, Saturday Evening Post and other national periodicals. He also wrote liner note essays for albums and box sets by The Judds, Keith Whitley, Eddy Arnold, Guy Clark, Hank Snow, Chet Atkins and others. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) named Morris as its Print Journalist of the Year in 1993.

In 1999, Morris started a two-decade tenure as a writer for CMT’s online platform, until the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, when he was impacted by layoffs. In 2002, Morris was honored at Belmont University’s International Country Music Conference with its Charlie Lamb Journalist of the Year accolade. Morris also guest-lectured at Belmont, Vanderbilt University and Trevecca College in Nashville.

Morris authored books including Edward Morris’ Complete Guide To Country Music Videos (1997), Garth Brooks: Platinum Cowboy (1993), Alabama (1985), At Carter’s Stanley’s Grave: Musings on Country Music & Musicians (2011) and Scorched Mirth and Acid Reflux (2019), among others.

A decade ago, at age 80, he wrote his first stage production, the one-woman play titled The Passion of Ethel Rosenberg, which enjoyed several productions and performances in Nashville and Santa Fe as well as a public reading at New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage. The play also reflected his lifelong dedication to leftist political causes.

His wife Norma Morris was diagnosed with the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, and he chronicled their journey in a series of Facebook blogs, which then became his 2020 book Stardust: An Alzheimer’s Love Story. Norma died in 2021.

Well into his 90th year, Morris continued writing, crafting a column for his local newspaper, The Kingston Springs Gazette.

According to a release, Morris at one point had reflected on his career by saying, “You hear musicians say that they would do it for free if they weren’t paid for it. And I feel the same way about writing. I love to write with the anticipation of amusing people or getting arguments started or whatever… Anything that happens, if you treat it right, can be turned into a piece of prose. And that’s what I do.”

Morris is survived by daughters Erin Morris Huttlinger and Rachel Serrato, and by son Jason Morris. Their brother, Christopher, died at age 2. He is also survived by six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Planned Parenthood.