If you turn on your radio to Jazz 91.9 WCLK FM between 7 and 10 a.m. on weekdays and hear a motivational message, you are undoubtedly listening to Morris Baxter’s voice.
Baxter has been on-air with WCLK since 2006, when the previous morning show host, Bill Clark, passed away. He auditioned for the program with three other potential hosts and was chosen by staff members and listeners to become the station’s newest personality.
“Morning Jazz with Morris Baxter” features an eclectic mix of jazz music from Maysa to Maxwell to Mike Phillips. But the highlight of his three-hour program is his “Morris Motivations.” He’s also the author of “The Morris Code—21 Ways Something Good Is Going To Happen To You Today,” a collection of 21 stories, quotes, and affirmations.
“I believe that everybody should have a mantra and that mantra should be something that gets them motivated,” Baxter said. What motivates me is when I wake up in the morning. The first person I thank is God. The second thing I say is the ‘Morris Code’: ‘Something good is going to happen to me today.’
“Morris Motivations” has reached tens of thousands of people worldwide with its positive message. Baxter believes it is his purpose to “empower and enlighten.” He credits Coretta Scott King with helping him find his purpose when he was 40 years old after listening to her speak on the matter.
When reflecting on his purpose, Baxter said that his morning show is “the gift that I have been given to make sure that I can really push people forward. “One of the most rewarding things is to make people feel good, but when it comes to what I receive, I believe that as long as you’re humble, you never stumble.”
Morris got his start in radio while he was attending Norfolk State University. Baxter first went to NSU to play basketball but suffered an injury that ended his athletic career. But as the old saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. While he was listening to the University’s radio station, Baxter thought, “Wow, I can do that.” He then spent time at the station, making his presence known.
One day, the station’s general manager had to attend to a family emergency, and the current host missed their radio shift. The general manager approached Baxter and said, “You said you wanted to be on the radio. Here is your opportunity. Here is turntable one, turntable two, and the microphone. Have at it.” From there, “Morris the Nighthawk” was born.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Baxter was exposed to some of the best radio announcers in the U.S. The one who influenced him the most was Charles Johnson, known as “The Electrifying Mojo.” His show, “The Midnight Funk Association,” would air nightly on Detroit airwaves. Baxter said what he remembered most about the show were the sound effects Johnson used at the end of every show. “It was theater of the mind,” Baxter fondly remembered.
Many great Black male voices have been on the radio over the years, like Frankie Crocker in New York, syndicated host Tom Joyner, Jack “the Rapper” Gibson, and Doug Steele in Atlanta. Now Morris joins that prestigious list.
He shared why he thinks having Black male voices in radio is important, “There are a lot of Black men that are not really being recognized, and it seems like we are slowly being annihilated.” Baxter said about Black male voices on the radio. “I think our presence is something here that is valuable to this world.”
Before Morris arrived at WCLK, his first job in Atlanta was as the national promotions manager for Loud/Sony Records. He worked with hip-hop legends such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Three 6 Mafia, Mobb Deep, and more in this role. Plus, his voice was featured on Blackstreet’s 4x platinum album, “Another Level.”
As the interview concluded, Morris shared a positive quote from Confucious for the Atlanta Voice readers, “If you think about the past, it causes depression. If you think about the future, it causes anxiety. You will always be at peace if you think about the present.”
