# Morris Dorley

Morris Dorley (born 1946), also known as Molly Dolly, was a Liberian musician and guitarist. Dubbed the "Godfather of Liberian music", he was a major figure in the country's electric highlife scene. After learning to play palm-wine music, Dorley started a local band called the Sunshine Boys. He and his band gained recognition in the late 1960s after releasing the hit single "Grand Gedeh Oh! Oh!". He recorded over six compilation LPs with ABC Studio during the late 1970s, and is known for other songs such as "Who Are You Baby", "Osia", and "Voinjama". His compilation projects include Bilo Lolo, May Jee May Jee, Marry Woman, The Sound of Liberia, and Young Girl. Dorley passed away from an alcohol-related illness while staying at an IDP camp called VOA.

## Life and career

According to oral history, Morris Dorley was born in 1946, in Bomi County, Liberia. A member of the Gola ethnic group, he learned to play the congoma when he was sixteen years old and decided a pursue a career in music after moving to Caldwell. Dorley started making palm-wine music after being gifted a guitar by a visiting American individual, and later formed a local band called Sunshine Boys. He and his band became well-known after recording the popular track "Grand Gedeh Oh! Oh!", which was played at former president William Tubman's birthday ceremony in 1969. Dorley was the first Liberian singer to perform at a presidential function and the first to break away from American music's hold on Liberians. Before "Grand Gedeh Oh! Oh!" was released, the Liberian Broadcasting Corporation played only foreign music, rendering Liberian music unknown across the country. Dorley recorded over six compilation LPs with ABC Studio during the late 1970s, and is known for the hit singles "Who Are You Baby", "Osia", and "Voinjama". His compilation projects include Bilo Lolo, May Jee May Jee, Marry Woman, The Sound of Liberia, and Young Girl. The songs "Who Are You Baby", "Osia" and "Voinjama" firmly established him as the "Godfather of Liberian music"; the latter track is an ode to Lofa County's capital. Dorley performed at the 1977 Festac festival in Lagos and won a prize at the event. He represented Liberia along with musicians such as Yatta Zoe, Fatu Gayflor, Nimba Burr, and Zack Roberts.
In the early 1980s, Dorley recorded tracks at Studio 99 and worked with record producer Faisal Helwani. All of the tracks he recorded at Studio 99, including "Liberia is My Home" and "Alive and Well", were released on cassette tape. He usually recorded four tracks on side A of the cassette and five on side B. In order to prevent his music from being pirated, he signed 9,000 cassette cards for his releases and had other artists sign the cover.

## Legacy and artistry

Dorley is known as the "Godfather of Liberian music" and is credited with being the first Liberian musician to . Zack Roberts, one-half of the duo Zack & Geebah, said Dorley was the "precursor for many of us and even today's generational Liberian artists". Radio personality George Kiadii said Dorley's "unique talent" was his ability to instantaneously compose songs from "a coherent mental image". Music producer Charles Snetter called Dorley the "forgotten father of Liberia's music industry" and said his performance at Festac 77 overshadowed all of the other African acts who performed at the event. Dorley sang in a high-pitched voice and primarily made Liberian electric highlife and palm-wine music. He also delved into other musical styles such as méringue, rumba, and dagomba highlife.

## Personal life

Dorley ceased his professional recording career in 1996 and died a few years later. An alcohol-related illness he contracted while living at VOA, an internally displaced person camp, was the cause of his death.