Morse Upshaw Gist Sr. was born on September 16, 1923, in Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas.
Gist attended Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas, and the Aero Industries Technical Institute in Los Angeles, California. He joined the US Army Air Corps in 1943 and graduated from the aviation cadet program at Yale with the rank of second lieutenant.
After the war Gist returned to Helena to work in his father's jukebox company. In 1953 they opened Gist Music Company on Cherry Street, which was frequented by influential musicians including Sonny Boy Williamson, Levon Helm, Robert Lockwood Jr., and Elvis Presley. Gist was interviewed by Smithsonian Productions in 1992 for the Memphis: Cradle of Rock 'n' Soul radio documentary series.
Gist passed away on September 12, 2014.
#1: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Morse U. Gist at the Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Morse Gist's grandfather
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Panoramic photo of Arkansas Ammunition Train, Company No. 2; World War I
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Morse Gist's father, Charles Heineman Gist, with Morse's dog, Pal; Helena, Arkansas, ca. 1944
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Photo scanned at Gist Music Company; Levon Helm (right) with Linda Helm
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: C.W. Gatlin (left) and Levon Helm playing at Gist Music Company, Helena, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Musicians (from left) Dave Burke, CeDell Davis, and Dale Beavers at Gist Music Company, Helena, Arkansas, 1994
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Eulaine and Hank Blumenthal and their grandson, Kevin Lowe, in front of Gist Music Company during the King Biscuit Blues Festival; Helena, Arkansas, 1997
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Morse Gist's wife, Jean (left) and their daughter, Jody, with Tammy Faye Baker (center), Memphis, Tennessee, 2000
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Morse Gist's wife, Jean; Gist Music Company, Helena, Arkansas, 2001
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Morse Gist (right) with his wife, Jean, and Governor Mike Huckabee; Gist Music Company, Helena, Arkansas, 2002
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Morse Gist (left) with Governor Mike Huckabee at Gist Music Company, Helena, Arkansas; October 8, 2004
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Morse and Jean Gist, Thanksgiving 2004
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Morse and Jean Gist at the flea market in Memphis, Tennessee
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Back of previous image of Morse and Jean Gist at the flea market in Memphis, Tennessee
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson's headstone in cemetery in Tutwiler, Mississippi
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Back of the Gist Music Company building, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Interior of Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Interior of Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Morse Gist talking to a customer; Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Morse Gist at the cash register; Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Vintage guitar stickers; Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Morse Gist reading the newspaper at his desk; Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Morse Gist (second from left) with Pryor Center staff: (from left) Trey Marley, Scott Lunsford, Joy Endicott, and Bruce Perry; Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Interior of Gist Music Company, Helena-West Helena, Arkansas; October 25, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Morse U. Gist at Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Morse U. Gist at Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center interview with Morse U. Gist at Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Morse U. Gist at Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Morse U. Gist at Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Morse U. Gist at Gist Music Company; Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
