Wess Morgan

{{Short description|American gospel musician and pastor (born 1973)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Wess Morgan

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Joel Wesley Morgan

| alias = Pastor Wess Morgan

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|9|5|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Pascagoula, Mississippi

| origin = Nashville, Tennessee

| instrument = Vocals, singer-songwriter

| genre = CCM, gospel, southern gospel, urban contemporary gospel

| occupation = Singer, songwriter

| years_active = 2006–present

| label = Oak Tree, Bowtie World, Flipside

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|wessmorgan.com}}

}}

Joel Wesley Morgan (born September 5, 1973), known professionally as Wess Morgan, is an American gospel musician and pastor. He started his music career, in 2006, with the release of Look at Me Now by Oak Tree Records. His second album, Under an Open Heaven, Vol. 1, was released in 2010 by Bowtie World Music alongside Flipside Music, and this album was his Billboard magazine breakthrough release on the Gospel Albums chart. The song, "I Choose to Worship", was put on the WOW Gospel 2012 album. The subsequent album, Under an Open Heaven, Vol. 2, was released by Bowtie World Music in 2012, and it charted on the aforementioned chart. He released, Livin{{'}}, in 2014 by Bowtie Music, and it charted on the aforementioned chart. Wess Morgan was a cast member on Tyler Perry's stage play Laugh to Keep from Crying

Early life

Morgan was born in Moss Point, Mississippi,{{cite web|title=About |url=http://www.wessmorgan.com/about-wess/|author=Wess Morgan|publisher=Wess Morgan|accessdate=April 16, 2015}} on September 5, 1973,{{cite web|title=Nothin more meaningful than bein recognized 4 ur existence! Thx 2 all who took time out of their hectic schedule 2 make my bday so special! |url=https://twitter.com/wessmorgan/status/243563164736843776|publisher=Twitter|first=Wess|last=Morgan|accessdate=April 16, 2015|date=September 5, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Wess Morgan : Biography|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wess-morgan-mn0002117404/biography|first=Steve|last=Leggett|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=April 16, 2015}} as Joel Wesley Morgan,{{cite web|title=Songwriter/Composer: MORGAN JOEL WESLEY |url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&querytype=WriterID&keyid=1043416&keyname=MORGAN+JOEL+WESLEY&CAE=506437073&Affiliation=BMI |author=Broadcast Music, Inc.|publisher=Broadcast Music, Inc.|accessdate=April 16, 2015}} whose father is Joseph and mother Yolanda, and he has an older brother, Joseph, and a younger sister, and they were raised in Nashville, Tennessee.

Career

His music career commenced in 2006, with the album, Look at Me Now, that was released by Oak Tree Records. The subsequent album, Under an Open Heaven, Vol. 1, was released on October 19, 2010 by Bowtie World Music alongside Flipside Music, and this album was his Billboard magazine breakthrough release on the Gospel Albums chart at No. 10.{{cite web |title=Wess Morgan : Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wess-morgan-mn0002117404/awards|author=Billboard|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=April 16, 2015}} This album had the single, I Choose to Worship, that charted at No. 4 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart, and was placed on the compilation album, WOW Gospel 2012. He released, Under an Open Heaven, Vol. 2, on December 11, 2012, and this charted on the aforementioned chart at No. 31. His fourth album, Livin{{'}}, was released in 2014 by Bowtie Music, and this placed at No. 6 on the Gospel Albums chart.

Personal life

Morgan was married for eighteen years to Betsy, they lived in Nashville, Tennessee, that ended in divorce in the middle of 2013. He married Danielle Walker in January 2014, she gave birth to his child later that year.{{cite web|title=Wess Morgan's Ex-Wife Betsy Morgan Explains Why She Called Out Gospel Star Over Secret Marriage & Baby|url=http://pathmegazine.com/news/gospel/wess-morgans-ex-wife-betsy-morgan-explains-why-she-called-out-gospel-star-over-secret-marriage-baby/|first=Kris|last=Patrick|publisher=Path Magazine|accessdate=April 16, 2015|date=June 12, 2014}}

Discography

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" \| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" \| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" \| Peak chart positions
style="width:3em; font-size:90%"\|US Gos
scope="row"\|Look at Me Now \| Released: 2006 {{nowrap\|Label: Oak Tree}} CD, digital download \| –
scope="row"\|Under an Open Heaven, Vol. 1 \| Released: October 19, 2010 {{nowrap\|Label: Bowtie/Flipside}} CD, digital download \| 10
scope="row"\|Under an Open Heaven, Vol. 2 \| Released: December 11, 2012 {{nowrap\|Label: Bowtie}} CD, digital download \| 31
scope="row"\|Livin{{'}} \| Released: 2014 {{nowrap\|Label: Bowtie}} CD, digital download \| 6

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Album details

! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions

style="width:3em; font-size:90%"|US
Gos

scope="row"|Look at Me Now