Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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MORTON, George 'Shadow'

(b George Francis Morton, 3 September 1941, Brooklyn NY; d 14 February 2013, Laguna Beach CA) Producer, songwriter. Lived in Hicksville, Long Island at 16; had a vague connection with the Young Rascals; made two obscure singles on RCA himself as The Marquis ('I Feel Majestic') and The Gems ('Hot Rod'). Acquainted with Ellie Greenwich (attended the same high school), he linked with her and Jeff Barry, hoping to work as a songwriter, at which he claimed he had no previous experience. He couold not read music and wrote songs in his head. He discovered the Shangri-Las and became their svengali; when their course was run he worked with teenager Janis Ian, making top 20 single 'Society's Child' and two LPs '67; helped launch Vanilla Fudge '67-8, produced their first three LPs including a hit with a psychedelic version of 'You Keep Me Hangin' On'. He acquired his nickname by disappearing for spells. He worked briefly with Mott The Hoople, re-emerged '74 as producer of the prophetically titled New York Dolls' second LP Too Much Too Soon; submerged again until two LPs on RCA '76 for the little-known Tom Pacheco. His charisma remained from the '60s. He had suffered from alcoholism for many years; he also designed golf clubs, and had about 300 songs to his name, mostly unrecorded.