Gregory Morton: Guitar, Stories, and a Lifetime of Music | Desert Sound Check Ep. 4

In this episode of Desert Sound Check, Derek sits down with Tucson musician Gregory Morton for a conversation about a lifetime shaped by music, travel, persistence, and the joy of finding new songs, new styles, and new people along the way.

Watch the full episode on YouTube 👇or listen on Spotify.

Derek introduces Gregory as one of the kindest people he knows, the epitome of a Southern gentleman, and a master of the flatpick guitar. Gregory, true to form, brings just as much warmth back to the conversation, offering plenty of praise for Derek, his playing, and the way musicians can learn from one another without needing to follow one “right” way to make music.

Gregory has been playing guitar for decades, including time as a session player, and his stories stretch from childhood music lessons to road gigs, music stores, guitar sales, and a life spent exploring sound. He talks about learning to play despite early teachers telling him he was not musically inclined, and how he and his twin brother pushed each other to get better through friendly competition, shared inspiration, and a lifelong love of music.

The conversation moves through Gregory’s early influences, including the Glen Campbell show, stories from the road, and the way music opened doors to different places, people, and opportunities. Gregory also talks about playing electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, flatpick guitar, and more, along with the joy he still finds in teaching.

When Gregory moved to Tucson in 1992, he was not sure what kind of music scene he would find, or whether he would need to learn cowboy music to fit in. Instead, he discovered what so many Tucson musicians already know: this city has room for just about every kind of player, every kind of song, and every kind of audience.

Derek and Gregory also talk about the support Tucson musicians receive from local fans and venues, the freedom of playing solo shows, and how much fun it can be to read the room, follow the audience, and play whatever feels right in the moment.

Gregory currently plays the first Friday of every month at JoJo’s Restaurant and Sundays at Lil Abners Steakhouse. You can follow him on Facebook for upcoming shows, and you can also find his gigs on the Tucson Local Bands calendar.

And yes, Delilah the studio pup makes a very important appearance in this episode, complete with plenty of well-earned pets.

During the session, Gregory brought in a very special guitar covered in signatures from legendary musicians. In this bonus footage, you’ll hear the story of how the guitar was once stolen, then recovered by chance many years later, see some of the famous names it carries, and watch as Derek adds his name to this very special instrument.