Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison | |
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.jpg) Harrison in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jeremiah Griffin Harrison |
| Born | February 21, 1949 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US |
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| Years active | 1971–present |
| Labels | EMI, Sire/Warner Bros. |
| Formerly of | The Modern Lovers, Talking Heads |
Jerry Harrison (born February 21, 1949) is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. He began his professional music career as a member of the band the Modern Lovers, before becoming keyboardist and guitarist for Talking Heads in 1977. In 2002, Harrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads.
After Talking Heads disbanded in 1991, Harrison focused more on producing other bands, a role he started while still with Talking Heads, first producing the album Milwaukee with Elliott Murphy, and then later working with Violent Femmes on their third album, The Blind Leading the Naked, in 1986.
During the 1990s, he produced a number of hit albums for bands such as Live, The Verve Pipe, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd among others. He has also released three albums of solo music (all while Talking Heads were still active) and has participated in a number of partial reunions of Talking Heads. In 1999, he helped found the online music community GarageBand.com.
Early life and education
Harrison graduated from Harvard in 1972 with a degree in Visual and Environmental Sciences.[1]
Career
Modern Lovers Era
In 1971, Harrison was living an apartment with Ernie Brooks while both were attending Harvard. The two were both performing as part of an iteration of The Modern Lovers after members Rolfe Anderson and John Felice had left the project.[2] The band was fronted by musician Jonathan Richman, who directly inspired Harrison to pursue a career in music. According to an interview from 2024, Harrison "didn’t actually think [he'd] be a professional musician. It wasn’t until [he] met Jonathan Richman, [that he] went, 'Wow! I can do this.'"[3]
Beginnings with Talking Heads 1975-1977
Harrison was approached to audition for Talking Heads as a keyboardist, although he came to his first audition with a guitar instead. While the band was looking at a few different people, they chose Harrison because, as Harrison says, "they’d all tried to show off. I think the other members of the band were going, ‘Yeah, that guy was really great but I don’t get the feeling he was appreciating what we did."[1]
Post Talking Heads 1989-Present
Harrison would begin again work with guitarist Adrian Belew in 2022 on the Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew: Remain in Light tour.
Discography
- The Red and the Black (1981)
- Casual Gods (1988)
- Walk on Water (1990)
Harrison has played on nearly all releases by Talking Heads, with the exception of early recordings in 1975 and 1976.
He also notably played on The Modern Lovers before joining Talking Heads.
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Seaman, Barrett. “Talking Heads Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew Bring “Remain in Light” Retrospective to Music Hall.” The Hudson Indy Westchester’s Rivertowns News -, 17 July 2024, thehudsonindependent.com/talkingheadsjerryharrisonandadrianbelewbringremaininlightretrospectivetomusichall/. Accessed 23 July 2024.
- ↑ Moss, Charles. “50 Years Ago, New York City’s Punk Scene Was Born.” SPIN, 8 July 2024, www.spin.com/2024/07/50-years-ago-new-york-citys-punk-scene-was-born/. Accessed 11 July 2024.
- ↑ Malkin, John. “Love of Music | Good Times.” Good Times, 14 Aug. 2024, www.goodtimes.sc/interview-harrison-belew-remain-in-light-tour/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.