Jim Morrison

As lead singer and lyricist for the Doors, Jim Morrison made the most of his short life, inspiring with his truthful writing and relaxed, authentic vocal style. A psychedelic rocker with a poetic soul, Morrison was a connoisseur of things new and offbeat, experimenting with everything from Nietzsche to the bohemian underworld of California.

Born James Douglas Morrison in 1943, the future rock star grew up in Melbourne, Florida. Jim Morrison's upbringing was strict and conservative as the son of a Navy Admiral. In fact, it was not until college that Morrison even showed an interest in the arts.

While studying film at UCLA, he began reading William Blake and writing original poetry. In 1965, Morrison and friend Ray Manzarek decided to form a band, recruiting two more along with Robbie Krieger and John Densmore.

The group became known as The Doors, a reference to Aldous Huxley's Doors of Perception.

Although originally shy in his role as lead vocalist, Morrison emerged as a powerful performer. He went to great lengths to elicit a reaction from his audience, destroying musical equipment and indulging in a variety of drugs and alcohol onstage. After a 1969 Miami arrest for public exposure, Morrison and the Doors took a break from touring and recorded the groundbreaking albums Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman. In March of 1971, Morrison moved to Paris, hoping to focus on his writing. Only four months later Jim was found dead in his bathtub, presumably of a heart attack. He was 27 years old.

Jim Morrison was one of the most original lyricists in the history of rock and roll. The poetic imagery that characterized his writing was the perfect complement to the Doors' eclectic sound. Morrison's life and music were so closely intertwined that he has become the classic representation of the rebellious desires that define rock.

- Jim Morrison had many nicknames. He often referred to himself as "Mr. Mojo Risin'", an anagram of his legal name, or the "Lizard King" from his epic poem "Celebration of the Lizard".

- Fans and historians alike have long questioned the details of Morrison's death. Some believe him to be the victim of a drug overdose, while others blame the CIA. There are even those who speculate that he is alive to this day, living in Africa or the Seychelles Islands.
- Above all else, Morrison was a poet. His body is buried in Paris's famous Pere LaChaise cemetery in the company of many other celebrities. Next to him in the "Poet's Corner" are buried many celebrated writers, including Balzac, Moliere, and Oscar Wilde.