Rooster Morris facts for kids

Rooster Morris, born on September 16, 1955, is an American writer, musician, and songwriter. He is famous for creating the Axle Galench children's book series. He also co-owns Axle Publishing Company, Inc. and Laid-Back West, which distributes educational materials.

His first book, Axle Galench and the Gate of No Return, came out in 2004. The next year, in 2005, he released his second book, Axle Galench in Search of Barnsfoggon. Rooster Morris also records and performs music for the audio versions of his books. His third book, Axle Galench and the Spin Lizard Rescue, was published in 2008.

Since 2004, Rooster Morris and his wife, Jody Logsdon, have sold over 13,500 of his books and audiobooks. He has performed for more than 2.5 million children since his first book was published. In January 2007, he was featured in Southern Living Magazine. Today, Rooster Morris lives in Rockdale, Texas.

Rooster Morris's Early Life and Nickname

Rooster Morris's real name is David Lee Morris. He was born in Ridgecrest, California. He got the nickname "Rooster" very early in his life.

Growing Up on Ranches

Rooster spent his childhood living the cowboy life. When he was just five years old, he started riding horses. He also helped his father work with cattle on ranches. These ranches were in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

How Rooster Entertained Himself

Because he lived in remote places, Rooster didn't have many friends his age. So, he found unique ways to entertain himself. He began to copy bird calls and coyote howls. Then, he started making unusual voices. Years later, these special skills helped him record an audiobook. This audiobook was for a book by John R. Erickson, who wrote the Hank the Cowdog series. In the book, Moonshiner's Gold, Rooster Morris performed seventeen different voices for the characters.

Rooster Morris's Musical Journey

Rooster Morris also taught himself how to play music. He started learning the fiddle when he was a teenager.

Playing for the Western Cowpunchers Association

By the time he finished high school, he was playing the fiddle for a historic group. This group was the Western Cowpunchers Association. It was started in the 1880s in Amarillo, Texas.

Recording Music and Learning Instruments

Since then, the Smithsonian Institution has recorded Rooster playing old-time fiddle music. This album is called Ridin' Old Paint. He also recorded a CD of his own songs, titled Picnic Tree. Besides the fiddle, he taught himself to play the guitar, mandolin, and bass.

Becoming a Children's Author

In 1999, Rooster Morris performed before a children's author named John R. Erickson. This event took place in Lubbock, Texas. Rooster was very impressed by how the audience reacted to Erickson's reading. This made him want to learn more about the Hank the Cowdog series.

Performing Hank the Cowdog Shows

Rooster spoke with John R. Erickson, who encouraged him to learn the songs and voices from the Hank the Cowdog audiobooks. This way, Rooster could perform Hank the Cowdog programs in schools. Rooster quickly learned the songs and voices. He then made a business agreement with Erickson. Rooster Morris began performing solo Hank the Cowdog shows. Over the next three years, he reached more than two million people.

Why Rooster Started Writing His Own Books

The children's excitement during these performances inspired Rooster. He also saw how much these shows helped children with their reading. This convinced him to start writing his own books. Now, his school and community shows feature his own Axle Galench books. These shows include music, storytelling, and even writing workshops.