R.B. Morris: Poet, Lyricist, Playwright

RB Morris’ collections of poetry, music and a one-man play about the life of fellow writer and Knoxville native, James Agee, make him a local treasure, but he’s equally appreciated outside the city limits. Morris collaborated with Grammy winner Lucinda Williams and John Prine on his CD Take that Ride, and singer/songwriter Steve Earle claims Morris is the reason he started writing poetry.

He’s traveled the world throughout his career, but for the last four years, Morris has managed the Writers in the Library program as the Writer-In-Residence at the University of Tennessee. On April 21, Morris hosted his final Writers in the Library event with readings by former Writer-In-Residence Brian Griffin, graduate students Charlotte Pense and Jesse Graves, and authors Greg Congleton, Marilyn Kallet and Knoxville Voice contributor Jack Rentfro.

KV spoke with Morris following the culmination of his work at UT and prior to his departure in late May for a tour with Hector Qirko in Ireland, Scotland and England. He reflected on his stint as UT’s Writer-In-Residence and the inspirations for his multi-faceted 
creative endeavors.

You grew up in Knoxville. What schools did you attend?
Dear old Alice Bell, grades one through eight, then I was a warrior at Holston High School for four years. I went to UT for one year and quit. At the time, I thought it was getting in the way of my education, and I headed out for the high and wide. I never returned to formal schooling, at least 
not as a student.

What made you accept the position of Writer-in-Residence at UT?
It was an honor to be asked, and I was curious. My resume read with little 
academic credential.

What purpose do you feel the Writers in the Library program serves?
First and foremost, it exposes students to writers and artists out there doing [the work], allows them to come in close contact with exceptional people and speak directly to them. That can’t be underestimated as an inspiration and influence. But it’s open to the public as well. Part of the mission is to connect with the local literary scene.

Besides managing the Writers in the Library program, what are the duties of a Writer-in-Residence at UT?
That’s about it — booking and hosting the WIL program. They give you an office and computer in Hodges Library to do 
your own work.

What have been some of the most memorable moments in the program during your time as Writer-in-Residence?
There are many. Certainly having Ted Kooser, the Poet Laureate of the country, in to read. But there were other Pulitzer Prize-winning authors as well: Charles Wright and Yusef Komanyaka. Master songwriters like Steve Earle and David Olney and Tom House brought a new dimension to the program, songwriters as poets and Kevin Bradley hanging his huge letterpress ‘Stoetry’ was a totally new presentation of poetry. And then we had Kerouac’s definitive biographer, Gerald Nicosia, as well as filmmaker and writer Phil Cousineau, both coming in from California.

But one of my favorites was Jack Rentfro who can write as well as any of them and gave a really inspired performance of various mediums of writing and featured 
musical accompaniment.

Have there been any challenging or difficult experiences with the Writers in the Library program?
The challenge is always to get people 
to come out.

How do you feel about your time as Writer-In-Residence? What have you done for the program and what has it 
done for you?
The main things I introduced to the WIL program were bringing songwriters into the otherwise mix of authors, and beginning the tradition of archiving each of the readings on video. And I guess we probably increased the number of readings per semester. I tend to look at what might have been, who I might have gotten in that I didn’t, and what more could have been done to build the audiences. But on the whole, I feel very good about the experience. We hosted around 60 events I was told last night. I know it has enlarged my perspective to have worked with 
so many writers.