His church sent him to Denison University on a scholarship, but Morgan soon discovered that he was "put on this earth to play and sing, not to preach.

"[4] He then studied violin and voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory and received his master's degree from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Some of his first shows were as a piano sideman in the big band years playing with Glen Miller and Harry James among others.

Morgan got his start in show business by playing on the boats that travel up and down the Ohio River near his home-town of Cincinnati.

While playing in Wisconsin Morgan had the idea to make a big band arrangement of the Jenny Lou Carson song, "Jealous Heart".

[citation needed] "Jealous Heart" (a cover of the Jenny Lou Carson country song) was released in 1949 and was his biggest hit, said to have sold in excess of 12 million copies.

He is best known for his flamboyant style of piano playing where he would raise his hands over his shoulders and flop them down on the keys, hitting all the correct notes, earning him the title, "Flying Fingers.

Morgan's recordings for London were pressed internationally including England, Canada, Germany, Australia and South Africa.

Morgan was performing at Noodles Restaurant when he died on Saturday, November 18, 1989 in Loyola's McGaw Hospital in Maywood, Illinois.