So sad to hear of your passing, Mr. Rick. You were my child's first true music teacher (at Children's House/SAS), and you helped her discover a love for song that will never fade. Your legacy truly is forever in all of the lives you touched so beautifully. Rest in peace, and we all will remember you in song.

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Have you ever felt like you knew someone well even though you never met the person face-to-face? That is how I felt about Rick. Though I graduated from the same college as Rick--St. Andrews--and shared some mutual friends--Todd Davis and John Lawson in particular--being a few years older than the others meant that I somehow missed a few of the guys in that group--Ames Arnold, John "Jomo" Williamson, and Rick himself. That situation was rectified several years ago when Todd tracked me down and drew me into the email loop that these guys had been participating in for years. I have since spent some time with them all--with the exception of Rick. But through that group's steady e-correspondence and the anecdotes and stories I heard from or was told by the others, I came to "know" Rick as a truly warm-hearted, caring, and very talented person. I heard his music on CD with some of his local groups and admired his abilities. And when I received from him a couple of his home-made CDs with original songs, I was deeply moved. Rick possessed one of the warmest singing voices I have ever heard, a voice that you could not help responding to. And to this day since receiving his CDs I never prepare for the day without checking that "I have my shoes on the right feet today." We have clearly lost a special individual. But his voice and music remain with us, just as surely as the memories of him will remain forever with his family and friends. Craig Smith Taos, New Mexico

my birthday and rick's were pretty close to each other - late july, early august - and about 4 or 5 years ago it seemed appropriate to throw a big co-birthday party somewhere around that time and round up some of the st. Andrews alumni we were in touch with - androids - for a night of drinking , yakking and celebrating. (who says old guys and girls can't have fun?). And since many of the folks we knew from college were pretty talented, it seemed appropriate to make it a musical evening. we knew even if nobody showed , we'd have fun.; turns out, about 15-20 alum would come out of the woodwork annually to gather at my house in Richmond, va. some came once, some looked forward to it each year. it turned into a great time for reunion and visiting. some of those had not seen each other in 40 years, some - like rick and myself - saw each other once in a while and had more familiar reunions. it also became a time when my richmond neighbors had the opportunity to meet and hear these talented folks sing and play - talents which I too often had come to take for granted. we played solo and in ad hoc pick up groups and it always clicked. rick of course wowed the newbies to his musical charms whether he sang a children's song he'd written or a jimmie Rodgers classic. his straight ahead voice and soulful honesty came through loud and clear with each line as did his gentle, twinkle-eyed, welcoming nature come through in conversation. when some of my neighbors and friends learned the other day that he had passed on, they were stunned. more than one said, "he was as cute as a bug." well, I'm not sure "bojangles" as some of us called him, was as cute as a bug but i was so lucky that one afternoon almost 50 years ago , he came into my dorm suite at st. andrews, introduced himself and said something like, " i hear you play guitar. so do i." i had no idea about the joys, the fall down laughter and the life shaping moments that would follow thanks to ricky bojangles morgan. I and

When I first got to know Rick, we both lived in Winston-Salem Dorm at St. Andrews College. I was a sophomore and he was a lowly freshman. At first sight he struck me as a jock: clean-shaven, very muscular. As I recall, he was wrestling in those days, and he had all these stories about doing outrageous things to "make weight": not eating for extended periods, exercising in hot environments to sweat out as much water as possible, using coffee as a diuretic, etc. His stories confirmed my impression that athletic competitiveness is a form of insanity--and it seemed that Rick was arriving at a similar conclusion. He soon moved away from the jock image, grew a beard, and revealed both his incredible talents as a musician and his interest in Buddhist mysticism. He went through what seemed to me to be a radical transformation as I watched, from jock to a sort of semi-Bodhisattva--with time off for the occasional quart of beer. What Rick did not turn into, however, was an exemplary housekeeper. His room was usually in disarray, his sheets twisted up to look like a human-size squirrel had been sleeping there, and his records lying out of their sleeves collecting dust. Sometimes more than dust: I remember walking into his room one day to see his copy of Bob Dylan's first album lying out with a blob of oatmeal on it. I gave him static about that for the next 49 years. Once, Rick made the mistake of telling me that I resembled a terrifying figure from his dreams, "Tickleman." Bad mistake. From then on, at odd moments I would assume the guise of Tickleman and reduce Rick--and myself--to crippling bouts of laughter as I yelled his name and tickled him till he fell on the floor in hysterics. Sounds sophomoric, I know--and rightly so: I was a sophomore! These are just a few of the images of Rick that I've carried around with me for all of these years, and will continue to carry--with laughter, with gratitude. He and Todd Davis and Ames Arnold and I formed what I

Rick was my preschool teacher at the Montessori School of Raleigh when he first started teaching there. I was there until I went to 1st grade in the fall of 1981. I have so many wonderful memories of my time there. I truly treasured my time in Rick's class. He was a wonderful teacher! I am a preschool teacher now and I'd like to give some of the credit for that to Rick. I actually have one of his CDs which I play for my children regularly. He had a major impact on the lives of so many children over the years. His memory will live on through his family and students! Rick, you will truly be missed! Thank you for all you did for us! - Michelle Bamford

Lit a candle in memory of Richard R. Morgan