Arts Directory

About

Artist Bio

Zak Morgan’s sense of humor and penchant for wordplay are gifts passed down from his grandpa George. Zak and his siblings grew up hearing wonderful stories about magnetic feet, kissing the Blarney Stone, and catching a lion with bare hands. Zak began writing his own stories in elementary school and honed his writing skills at Kenyon College where he earned a B.A. in English. He did this while having adventures of his own, including ascending Mt. Rainier and sailing across the Atlantic.
After college, Morgan moved to Wyoming where he entertained children during the day and adults at night. There, among the moose, beavers, and Nunley the donkey, the seeds of his career as a children’s entertainer were planted. After Wyoming, Zak went to work for a publisher in New York where he was immersed in children’s literature and began writing songs for his first album, Bloom. When Bloom debuted, critics raved about Morgan’s unique storytelling and wordplay, and he decided to focus on writing and performing full-time.
When Morgan’s second album, When Bullfrogs Croak, received a GRAMMY nomination, he moved to Los Angeles and made a movie for children called ZakLand with director Jay Silverman and former ABC head Tony Thomopoulos. Zak moved from LA to Nashville and collaborated with renowned bassist David “Dela” LaBruyere to make The Candy Machine, an elaborate concept album based on characters created by his grandpa. Morgan’s album, The Barber of the Beasts, released by Universal Music Enterprises, features lush orchestral arrangements and a collaboration with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend Bootsy Collins.
Morgan lives in Cincinnati, OH where he grew up and continues to write, record, and perform concerts and creative writing residencies for children and families across the country.

Artist Statement

My songs teach language arts/literacy, music, and science (sound, electricity, animals) as well as social and self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making by emphasizing, encouraging, and examining the importance of friendship, kindness, service, and achievement through positive thinking and personal confidence. “The Butterfly” and “Let Me In” emphasize the good feeling that comes from helping others who are struggling or hurting, and it addresses self and social awareness and relationship skills: trusting, not being afraid to seek help or support. Songs like “My Friend” cover the importance of friendship and what it means to be a friend. And “TIODNACI” (I CAN DO IT!) teaches perseverance, self-confidence, and encouragement.
Many of the songs in my programs are stories about my own childhood. The study guides and classroom exercises that accompany each concert are for teacher use in the classroom to help students “unpack” the performance by identifying the literary devices and facts in the songs. Teachers can also measure children’s social/emotional development by examining and discussing the circumstances of the songs’ characters. Lyrics and activities are available in advance of the concert to help orient students prior to the performance so the concert can reinforce and deepen their understanding of the stories, and the lessons learned by the characters.