William Laney Furr Endowed Jazz Scholarship in honor of Bob Morgan

The William Laney Furr Endowed Jazz Scholarship in Honor of Bob Morgan is a gift from the Estate of William Laney Furr. William Furr also known as Laney Furr was born in Oxford, Mississippi on June 9, 1953, to Lynne and Howard Furr. He was raised for most of his life in Bryan, TX where he graduated from Stephen F Austin High School in 1971. Laney completed his undergraduate degree in music literature at Sam Houston State University, studying with Dr. Harry Mallard. A few years later he continued his education at Texas A&M University where he earned his MBA in Finance. He also played in the Symphonic Band and Houstonian Jazz Ensemble every year until he graduated in 1976. He played trombone with the Palmetto Brass Quintet, the Columbia Brass Band, The Gene Dykes Band, and occasionally as a substitute with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra. Laney was well-known in the SC music community and played various other musical gigs throughout the southeast. Dr. Robert “Bob” Morgan retired in May 1999 as Director of Jazz Studies at Houston’s Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) a position held since 1976. He was previously director of the jazz program at Sam Houston State University. Under Morgan’s direction, the HSPVA jazz program became internationally known as a stimulating model for the successful training of young jazz aspirants. His teaching legacy is best represented by the dozens of HSPVA alumni currently enjoying significant professional success, many internationally.