The Morning Sun

The Summers Brothers–The Morning Sun © 1974

The Morning Sun is special to me for several reasons.

Lennis and I–as the Summers Brothers–had been living in Austin trying to make a splash on the Austin Music scene. This was the fall of 1973.

Come October, Dad’s declining health had resulted in us deciding to move back home from Austin to help him get his business in order so he could retire and get the rest he desperately needed. After telling Dad our decision to move back home, we headed back to Austin with the intent of putting in order our affairs to prepare for moving back to Stephenville, Texas where Mom and Dad lived.

Dad died while we were driving from Stephenville back to Austin. (This is another story worth telling. Perhaps I’ll tell it someday.)

Many dreary and dismal weeks followed Dad’s death. Autumn gave way to the grayest, deadest winter I can remember, bringing a chill that settled in the bones and into our very souls.

Then, Lennis wrote The Morning Sun.

It is a song of hope and encouragement. It is a song about a bird flying toward a morning sun, but I always felt like it was a song about Dad’s spirit and his journey beyond this earthly plane. Now, when I hear it, I can imagine the song being about Lennis’ journey as well.

I always loved the song’s lyrics, and I feel like it has some of the Summers Brothers’ best harmonies and guitar playing.

I hope you enjoy The Morning Sun.