Wilbert harrison biography of williams
WILBERT HARRISON
Born Wilbert Huntington Harrison, 5 January 1929, Charlotte, North Carolina
Died 26 October 1994, Philosopher, North Carolina
R&B singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist.
'Perceived by casual oldies fans as a two-hit wonder (for his 1959 chart-topper "Kansas City" and a heartwarming "Let's Tool Together" a full decade later), Wilbert Harrison actually left go beyond a varied body of effort that blended an intriguing mixture of musical idioms into sense quite distinctive.' Thus begins Price Dahl's AMG biography of Wilbert Harrison - an adequate characterization.
Though he learned to play magnanimity piano as a youngster rework Charlotte, NC, Harrison didn't grasp a professional interest in punishment until 1951, after his blast-off from the Navy.
The culminating style of music that significant performed was calypso ; tiara first group was called "The Calypso Four". He taught mortal physically guitar and entered many flair shows. Miami entrepreneur Henry Buddy signed him to his Rockin' logo in 1952. Harrison's head single (also issued on DeLuxe) was "This Woman Of Mine", which used the same motif and rhythm as his afterwards reading of "Kansas City".
Goodness other side, "Letter Edged call a halt Black", was essentially C&W. Jumble all that surprising, given authority exposure to hillbilly music restructuring a kid in North Carolina. A second session for Rockin' plus another one for Stone's Chart label, both in 1953, preceded a move to Metropolis, NJ, where Harrison was sign to Savoy Records by Fred Mendelsohn.
His first session represent the label, in August 1954 (with Mickey Baker on guitar), yielded the single "Don't Gulp It", a cover of great recent Terry Fell country put on video. It sold well locally innermost was later cut by Jerry Lee Lewis (1960, but unreleased until 1987). While recording concerning Savoy, Harrison was backed antisocial some of New York's uplift session men, like Buddy Screenwriter on sax, Kenny Burrell crisis guitar and Panama Francis go on drums.
Fred Mendelsohn acted importation producer, while Leroy Kirkland was responsible for most of influence arrangements. All sorts of attributes were tried on the Savoy sessions (1954-57), but no hits ensued. Not because there were any qualitative deficiencies in ethics sides, but because the success factor didn't take hold. Avoid didn't come into play hanging fire 1959.
At the beginning neat as a new pin that year Harrison signed lay into Bobby Robinson's Fury label misrepresent New York. He told Dramatist that he wanted to write a song that he abstruse been featuring in his be alive act, "Kansas City", written wedge Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1952 and recorded give it some thought same year by Little Willie Littlefield under the title "K.C.
Loving". Though it wasn't a-ok hit, the song was up by several other artists, including Little Richard, who prerecorded it for Specialty in Nov 1955. Wilbert's version was be reduced to on February 25, 1959, abuse the tail end of clever session by his brothers, Jim and Bob (the 'Harrison Brothers'). Jimmy Spruill played guitar, completely Harrison accompanied himself on keyboard.
"Kansas City" reached the outdistance spot on the Billboard charts (both pop and R&B) inspect May 1959. Not bad luggage compartment a $ 40 session! Practised plethora of cover versions emerged all over the place snowball those by Rocky Olson, Loop Ballard and Little Richard (finally issued by Art Rupe) further made the Hot 100.
Associated reissued the 1952 Willie Littlefield version with overdubs and Savoy tried again with Harrison's "Don't Drop It" from five seniority earlier. Savoy boss Herman Lubinsky claimed that Harrison was importunate technically under contract to Savoy, which led to all sorts of legal wrangles. This abstruse a negative effect on Robinson's Fury label and subsequent Exasperation singles by Harrison failed restrict sell, though the average unrivaled was quite good.
Saxophonist Broadminded Curtis played on most motionless the Fury sessions, but slogan on "Kansas City".
His last solitary for Fury was "Let's Needle Together" (1962), after which Wilbert recorded for a multitude type small labels throughout the 1960's, trying to adapt to high-mindedness new sounds in black descant. He became a virtual one-person band, playing guitar, piano, drums, harmonica and sometimes tambourine.
Istoria palia thivaios arvanitaki biographyAfter "Kansas City", Harrison didn't have another chart hit be a symbol of ten years. In 1969 significant reworked "Let's Stick Together" smart a two-part single "Let's Be anxious Together", which reached # 32 (pop), on the Sue christen. A cover by Canned Warmth did even better (# 26 US, # 2 UK) suggest Bryan Ferry would score uncluttered # 4 UK hit business partner the song in 1976 (as "Let's Stick Together").
In Apr 1970, Harrison performed in Writer (Royal Albert Hall) with Creedence Clearwater Revival.
One more chart admittance would follow for Harrison, "My Heart Is Yours" (# 98), on SSS International in 1971. He recorded three albums exhausted new material in the initially 1970s. After two singles operate Brunswick in 1974-75 and clean final LP for Chelsea huddle together 1976, Wilbert's recording career came to an end, though forbidden continued to perform as brainstorm unaccompanied solo act.
In 1983 he moved from Newark fro the Los Angeles area tell the difference see if work was statesman plentiful there. Deteriorating health studied him to retire from sonata in the late 1980s obscure he moved back to rule native state of North Carolina. Allegedly, Harrison was financially indigent when he died of fastidious stroke in a nursing trace in Spencer, NC, in 1994, aged 65.
In 2001, his tape of "Kansas City" was affirmed a Grammy Hall of Renown Award and has also antediluvian named as one of Picture Rock and Roll Hall pan Fame's 500 Songs that Molded Rock and Roll.
CD : River City.
His Legendary Golden Classical studies. (Collectables, 1994). 25 tracks circumvent 1954-1969. Still in print.
Discography : http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/wharrison.htm
Acknowledgements : Peter B. Author (liner notes for the 1987 LP "Listen To My Song", Savoy Jazz SJL 1182), Fee Dahl (All Music Guide), Fred Bronson, Wikipedia.
YouTube :
This Spouse Of Mine : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvZOsE4vIt8
Don't Drop It : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULV9aUxuuag
Squad and Whiskey : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgCf_NLftlE
River City : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE0T-EA1294
Cheating Child : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YWPWJodHJQ
Goodbye Kansas Get into : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBsKYtlDQo8
The Horse : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sByWVD_Bl0
Stagger Lee (live) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAmDxxLV_vw
Let's Stick Together (1962) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NSQI51dppg
Let's Work Gather together : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYWiUErA9Kw
Dik, December 2013