Shaun Morgan

Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (, born 21 December 1978) is a South African musician. He is the lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Seether.

Early life Morgan spent most of his early life in South Africa. His parents divorced when he was still a child. Morgan is the youngest of three children; he had a brother, Eugene, who died by suicide in 2007, and a sister, Lucy. He was a student at Merchiston Preparatory School and Maritzburg College in Pietermaritzburg, where he played rugby in his first three years of high school. In his third year, he injured his back and was unable to play anymore, which then led to him picking up the guitar.

At the age of fourteen, he discovered the Seattle grunge movement after listening to Nirvana's Nevermind album, which inspired him to become a musician. They were originally a four-piece, but when the singer and guitarist did not turn up to the first practice, the band decided to stay as a three-piece, with Morgan on lead vocals and guitar.

Bands that have influenced Morgan include Nirvana, Portishead, Silverchair, The Beatles, Metallica, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, Mad Season, Rage Against the Machine, Black Sabbath, Korn, Soundgarden, Led Zeppelin, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Deftones.

Equipment Shaun Morgan was originally offered an endorsement and a signature model with PRS, but declined. He became endorsed by Schecter Guitars early in his career and stayed with them until 2019. He now plays an Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay RS guitar.

Personal life From 2003 to 2005, Morgan dated Evanescence singer Amy Lee. Morgan checked into rehab in July 2006. Lee wrote the song "Call Me When You're Sober" about her relationship with him.

On 13 August 2007, Morgan's brother Eugene Welgemoed killed himself by jumping from an eighth-floor window of the Radisson Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota, shortly after midnight. According to police, no foul play was suspected. Two months later, Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces was released. Since the album was already finished, there was no delay to its issue, but the record was dedicated to Eugene and featured a memorial. Seether's song "Rise Above This" is a tribute to Eugene, written a few weeks before his death. Morgan has 1308 tattooed on his four right fingers, and 2007 on his four left fingers, marking the date his brother died.

In May 2021, Morgan married his longtime partner, Jordan Kirby, with whom he has a daughter and a son.

Morgan is an atheist.

Discography Saron Gas Fragile (2000)

Seether

Studio albums Disclaimer (2002) Disclaimer II (2004) Karma and Effect (2005) Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (2007) Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray (2011) Isolate and Medicate (2014) Poison the Parish (2017) Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum (2020) The Surface Seems So Far (2024)

Collaborations Art of Dying featuring Shaun Morgan – "Die Trying" (2008) HURT featuring Shaun Morgan – "World Ain't Right" on the album Goodbye to the Machine (2009) Acoustic cover of Alice in Chains' "Nutshell", with Brent Smith, lead singer of Shinedown. The song is featured on The 97X Green Room: Volume 2, which is a radio station based in Tampa, Florida.