# 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 Sunset 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 died from an alcohol-related illness while residing in 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 to pursue a career in music after moving to Caldwell. Dorley started making palm-wine music after being gifted a guitar by an unnamed American individual, and later formed a local band called the Sunset Boys. He and his band became well-known after recording the popular track "Grand Gedeh Oh! Oh!", which was played at 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. Prior to the release of "Grand Gedeh Oh! Oh!", Liberian music was unknown throughout the country due to the Liberian Broadcasting Corporation's decision to solely play American R&B and rock-n-roll songs. 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 track "Voinjama" 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 Yatta Zoe, Fatu Gayflor, Nimba Burr, and Zack Roberts (one-half of the duo Zack & Geebah).
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 often 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. Dorley struggled financially despite gaining sub-regional fame. He never desired or trusted a management team to negotiate equitable contracts on his behalf and was not formally educated. Record producers who collaborated with him also took advantage of him. In 1996, Dorley stopped recording music professionally and died a few years later.

## Legacy and artistry

Dorley is known as the "Godfather of Liberian music" and is recognized as one of the pioneering musicians who established a demand for Liberian music. Roberts 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 eclipsed every other African act that took the stage. 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.

## Death

Dorley died from an alcohol-related illness while living in an internally displaced person camp called VOA, which is located on the outskirts of Monrovia.