Jim Morrison

For other people with the same name, see James Morrison.
"Mr. Mojo Risin' " redirects here. For the song in which the line appears, see L.A. Woman (song).

Jim Morrison
Photograph of Jim Morrison looking into the camera.
Morrison in 1968
Born(1943-12-08)December 8, 1943
Melbourne, Florida, U.S.
DiedJuly 3, 1971(1971-07-03) (aged 27)
Paris, France
Resting placePère Lachaise Cemetery
Other names
  • The Lizard King
  • The American Poet
  • Jimbo
  • Mr. Mojo Risin'[1]
Alma materFlorida State University (attended)
University of California, Los Angeles (BS)[2]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • poet
Years active1963–1971
Partner
Parents
Musical career
Genres
LabelsElektra
Formerly of
Websitethedoors.com
Signature

James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter and poet who was the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band The Doors. Due to his energetic persona, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, erratic and unpredictable performances, along with the dramatic circumstances surrounding his life and early death, Morrison is regarded by music critics and fans as one of the most influential frontmen in rock history. Since his death, his fame has endured as one of popular culture's top rebellious and oft-displayed icons, representing the generation gap and youth counterculture.[4]

Together with keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Morrison founded the Doors in 1965 in Venice, California. The group spent two years in obscurity until shooting to prominence with their number-one hit single in the United States, "Light My Fire", taken from their self-titled debut album. Morrison recorded a total of six studio albums with the Doors, all of which sold well and many of which received critical acclaim. He frequently gave spoken word poetry passages while the band was playing live. Manzarek said Morrison "embodied hippie counterculture rebellion".[5]

Morrison developed an alcohol dependency, which at times affected his performances on stage.[6][7][8] In 1971, Morrison died unexpectedly in a Paris apartment at the age of 27, amid several conflicting witness reports. Since no autopsy was performed, the cause of Morrison's death remains disputed.[9]

Although the Doors recorded two more albums after Jim Morrison died, his death greatly affected the band's fortunes, and they split up two years later. In 1993, Morrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the other Doors members.[10] Rolling Stone, NME, and Classic Rock have ranked him among the greatest rock singers of all time.[11][12][13][14]

  1. ^ "Mr Mojo Risin'". BBC Radio 2. June 29, 2011. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  2. ^ "Jim Morrison Was A Poet And An Artist With A Degree In Cinematography". University Herald. August 10, 2016. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  3. ^ Issitt, Micah L. (2009). Hippies: A Guide to an American Subculture. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-313-36572-0.
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. "Jim Morrison – Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  5. ^ Knopper, Steve (November 9, 2011). "Ray Manzarek's Doors". ChicagoTribune.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  6. ^ Weiss, Jeff (February 16, 2012). "Surviving Doors Members Speak on Jim Morrison's Substance Abuse". L.A. Weekly. Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  7. ^ "Biography of Jim Morrison". Biography.com. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "The Story of Jim Morrison's Disastrous Last Doors Show". Ultimate Classic Rock. December 12, 2015. Archived from the original on July 21, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  9. ^ Doland, Angela (November 11, 2007). "New questions about Jim Morrison's death". USA Today. Retrieved December 7, 2012. Note: Associated Press writer Verena von Derschau in Paris contributed to this report.
  10. ^ Cherry, Jim (January 11, 2017). "January 12, 1993: The Doors Enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". The Doors Examiner, Redux. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  11. ^ "The Best Lead Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 12, 2011. Archived from the original on July 29, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  12. ^ "100 Greatest Singers". Rolling Stone. November 27, 2008. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  13. ^ "Michael Jackson Tops NME's Greatest Singers Poll". NME. June 21, 2011. Archived from the original on June 27, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  14. ^ "50 Greatest Singers in Rock". Classic Rock. No. 131. May 2009.