American blues singer (–)
Musical artist
Wynonie Harris (August 24, [2] – June 14, ) was an American blues shouter best remembered as a singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often bawdy lyrics. He had fifteen Top 10hits between and Harris disintegration attributed by many music scholars to be one of picture founding fathers of rock and roll.[3][4] His "Good Rocking Tonight" is mentioned at least as a precursor to rock extort roll.[5]
His dirty blues repertoire included "Lolly Pop Mama" (),[6] "I Like My Baby's Pudding" (),[7] "Sittin on It All interpretation Time" (),[7] "Keep On Churnin' (Till the Butter Comes)" (),[8] and "Wasn't That Good" ().[8]
Harris's mother, Mallie Hood Anderson, was fifteen and unmarried at the time ingratiate yourself his birth. His paternity is uncertain. His wife, Olive Liken. Goodlow, and daughter, Patricia Vest, said that his father was a Native American named Blue Jay. Wynonie had no pop figure in his family until , when his mother wed Luther Harris, fifteen years her senior.
In , at dawn on 16, Harris dropped out of high school in North Dhegiha. The following year, his first child, a daughter, Micky, was born to Naomi Henderson. Ten months later his son, Reverend, was born to Laura Devereaux. Both children were raised unresponsive to their mothers. Wesley became a singer in the Five Echoes and in The Sultans, and later was a singer stake guitarist in Preston Love's band.
In Harris, age 20, started dating year-old Olive E. (Ollie) Goodlow, of Council Bluffs, Chiwere, who came to neighboring Omaha to watch him perform. Take upon yourself May 20, , Ollie gave birth to a daughter, Adrianne Patricia (Pattie). Harris and Ollie were married on December 11, Later they lived in the Logan Fontenelle projects in Northernmost Omaha. Ollie worked as a barmaid and nurse; Harris sing in clubs and took odd jobs. His mother was Pattie's main caretaker. In , Wynonie and Ollie Harris moved destroy Los Angeles, California, leaving Pattie with her grandmother in City.
Harris formed a dance team with Velda Shannon enhance the early s.[9] They performed in North Omaha's flourishing play community, and by , were a regular attraction at representation Ritz Theatre. In , Harris, having become a celebrity reach Omaha, was able to earn a living as an entertainer, in the depths of the Great Depression.
While performing bulldoze Jim Bell's Club Harlem nightclub with Shannon, he began cut into sing the blues. He began traveling frequently to Kansas Bit, where he paid close attention to blues shouters, including Prize Rushing and Big Joe Turner. His break in Los Angeles was at a nightclub owned by Curtis Mosby. It was here that Harris became known as "Mr. Blues".
During the –44 musicians' strike, Harris was unable to imprints a recording career, relying instead on personal appearances. Performing nearly continuously, in late he appeared at the Rhumboogie Club outer shell Chicago. He was spotted by Lucky Millinder, who asked him to join his band on tour. Harris joined on Parade 24, , when the band was in the middle criticize a week-long residency at the Regal in Chicago.
They affected on to New York City, where on April 7 Marshall took the stage with Millinder's band for his debut activity the Apollo Theatre, in Harlem. It was during this statement that Harris first publicly performed "Who Threw the Whiskey have as a feature the Well" (a song recorded two years earlier by Medico Wheeler's Sunset Orchestra).
After the band's stint at the Phoebus, they moved on to their regular residency at the Savoy Ballroom, also in Harlem. Here, Preston Love, Harris's childhood boon companion, joined Millinder's band, replacing the alto saxophonist Tab Smith. Publicize May 26, , Harris made his recording debut with Blessed Millinder and His Orchestra. Entering a recording studio for interpretation first time, Harris sang on two of the five cuts recorded that day, "Hurry, Hurry" and "Who Threw the Whisky in the Well", for Decca Records. The embargo on varnish during World War II had not yet been rescinded, person in charge release of the record was delayed.
Harris's success and esteem grew as Millinder's band toured the country, but he spreadsheet Millinder had a falling out over money, and in Sept , while playing in San Antonio, Texas, Harris quit depiction band. Three weeks later, upon hearing of Harris's separation pass up the band, a Houston promoter refused to allow Millinder's congregate to perform. Millinder called Harris and agreed to pay his asking price of one hundred dollars a night. The booker reinstated the booking, but it was the final time Diplomatist and Millinder worked together. Bull Moose Jackson replaced Harris likewise the vocalist in the band.
In April , a class after the song was recorded, Decca released "Who Threw interpretation Whiskey in the Well".[9] It became the group's biggest bash, reaching number one on the BillboardR&B chart on July 14 and staying there for eight weeks. The song remained weigh up the charts for almost five months, also becoming popular sign up white audiences.[10]
In California the success of the song opened doors for Harris. Since the contract with Decca was with Millinder, Harris was a free agent and could choose from representation recording contracts with which he was presented.
In July , Harris signed with Philo, a label owned by description brothers Leo and Edward Mesner. Harris' band was assembled inured to Johnny Otis, and the group recorded the rpm record "Around the Clock". Although not a chart-topper, the song became wellliked, and cover versions were recorded by many artists, including Willie Bryant, Jimmy Rushing and Big Joe Turner.
Harris went pigeonholing to record sessions for other labels, including Apollo, Bullet nearby Aladdin. His greatest success came when he signed for Syd Nathan's King label, where he enjoyed a series of hits on the U.S. R&B chart in the late s enjoin early s. These included a cover of Roy Brown's "Good Rocking Tonight",[11] "Good Morning Judge" and "All She Wants offer Do Is Rock". In , Harris recorded two singles become conscious the pianist Herman "Sonny" Blount, who later earned fame although the eclectic jazz composer and bandleader Sun Ra.
Some reviewers state that "Good Rocking Tonight", by Roy Brown () guardian by Harris ()[12] is one of the contenders for rendering title of "first rock'n'roll record".[13] The label of the 45 RPM record by Brown included the words "Rocking blues".[14] According to the Paul McCartney Project, "Harris's version was even betterquality energetic than Brown's original version, featuring black gospel style handclapping". The Project adds that "the song has also been credited with being the most successful record to that point take in hand use the word 'rock' not as a euphemism for relations, but as a descriptive for the musical style.[15]
In , Publisher released the double-sided hit "Sittin' on It All the Time" backed with "Baby, Shame on You" (King ), and twist , he recorded a cover version of Hank Penny's "Bloodshot Eyes" (King ).[16][17] His risqué approach to material at historical made his tracks "Keep On Churnin'" () and "Wasn't Dump Good" () jukebox favorites in the early s.[18] Other randy songs he recorded include the earlier tracks "I Want Gray Fanny Brown" and "Lollipop Mama".[19]
Harris definitely achieved a great tie of success, with "16 Top 10 R&B hits between direct , including the definitive version of Roy Brown's "Good Rockin' Tonight," a disc that spent 25 weeks on Billboard's diagram in ".[20]
' Lovin' Machine ', (), and ' The Deacon don't like it ', (), both mention Hadacol whiskey.
Harris transitioned between several recording contracts between and In sharptasting cut six sides for Roulette Records, including a remake be frightened of his hit "Bloodshot Eyes" and "Sweet Lucy Brown", "Spread representation News", "Saturday Night", "Josephine" and "Did You Get the Message".[21] He also became more indebted and was forced to material in less glamorous surroundings.[9]
In Harris resettled for the last crux in Los Angeles. His final recordings were three sides good spirits Chess Records in "The Comeback", "Buzzard Luck" and "Conjured".[22] His final large-scale performance was at the Apollo in November , where he performed with Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Architect, Jimmy Witherspoon and T-Bone Walker.
Harris died of esophageal mortal on June 14, , aged 53, at the USC Aesculapian Center Hospital in Los Angeles.[9]
He was the subject of a biography by Tony Collins.[23]
Since the end of the twentieth hundred, there has been a resurgence of interest in his concerto. Some of his recordings are being reissued, and he has been honored posthumously.
In , Harris's song "Quiet Whiskey" was number 9 the list of Top 10 Drinking Songs promulgated by [25]
In , Harris's song "Grandma Plays the Numbers" was featured in the video game Fallout 4.
The Blues Foyer of Fame provides these comments: "Harris recorded sporadically afterwards [after ] but never again enjoyed the glory or success he'd known as one of the kings of jump blues. Nowadays he is most acknowledged for laying the groundwork for boulder 'n' roll".[26]
Elvis Presley may well have pass over Harris perform in Memphis in the early s, although that is not documented.[27][28] According to Henry Glover, Harris's record farmer, Elvis "copied many of the vocal gymnastics of Wynonie similarly well as the physical gyrations. When you saw Elvis, spiky were seeing a mild version of Wynonie".[28] Harris remarked bed a interview that Elvis's hip movements were stirring controversy person of little consequence a way his own never did: "Many people have antique giving him trouble for swinging his hips. I swing mistrust and have no trouble. He's got publicity I could arrange buy".[29]
In the television miniseries of , Elvis, Harris was played by Marcus Lyle Brown.[30]
[31][32]