He was born in Richmond, Virginia, United States,[1] and raised in Hicksville, Long Island, where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Lois Berman, and formed a doo-wop group, the Markeys.
[5] Morton stated in his interview that, with an empty song portfolio at the time, he felt sufficiently challenged by Barry, whereupon he left the Brill Building and drove to a Long Island beach.
According to Steve Kurutz at Allmusic, "Morton's production work, which included brilliant sound effects and inventive percussion, carried the Shangri-Las to girl-group history.
[12] Morton also worked with Iron Butterfly; the group gave an interview to Mix Magazine crediting him with producing the hit track "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".
In 1970, Morton produced the psychedelic heavy rock band Haystacks Balboa, a New York City based quintet who toured nationally as support for Rod Stewart, Ten Years After and Jethro Tull.
[13] In 1971, Morton produced the Polydor Records album Uncle Chapin, the sole release of the seven-piece jazz rock horn group formerly known as Stonehammer.
[14] In 2009, Morton appeared in the documentary Rockin' the Wall, about music's part in bringing down the Iron Curtain, along with former Vanilla Fudge members Mark Stein and Vinny Martell, as well as David Paich of Toto, Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, Robby Krieger of the Doors, Billy Joel and Joan Jett.