Corey Harris | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1969-02-21)February 21, 1969 (age 56) Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Genres | Blues,reggae |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals,guitar |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Alligator,Rounder,Telarc |
| Members | Chris Whitley (keyboards), Paul Dudley, (drums) Gordon Jones (saxophone), Jayson Morgan (bass) |
| Website | https://coreyharris.net |
Corey Harris (born February 21, 1969, inDenver, Colorado, United States) is an Americanblues andreggaemusician,[1] currently residing inCharlottesville,Virginia. Along withKeb' Mo' andAlvin Youngblood Hart, he raised the flag ofacousticguitar blues in the mid-1990s.[2] He was featured on the 2003PBStelevisionmini-seriesThe Blues, in an episodedirected byMartin Scorsese.
Harris was born and raised near Denver, Colorado.[1] He graduated fromBates College inLewiston, Maine with a bachelor's degree in 1991, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2007. Harris received aThomas J. Watson Fellowship for language studies inCameroon in his early twenties, before taking a teaching post inNapoleonville, Louisiana under theTeach For America program.[2][3] His debutsoloalbumBetween Midnight and Day (1995) was produced by Grammy nominee/composer/producer Larry Hoffman, who discovered him in 1994 inHelena, Arkansas. The record included covers ofSleepy John Estes,Fred McDowell,Charlie Patton,Muddy Waters, andBukka White.[2] His second recording with Hoffman,Fish Ain't Bitin', was the recipient of the 1997W. C. Handy Award forBest Acoustic Blues Album of the Year. Recorded in New Orleans, it featured Harris' original songs, vocal, and guitar backed on certain tracks by a trio of tuba and two trombones arranged by producer Hoffman. In 2002, Harris collaborated withAli Farka Toure on hisalbumMississippi to Mali, fusing blues and Toure's music from northernMali. In 2003, he contributed to theNorthern Blues releaseJohnny's Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash.
Harris has lived and traveled widely inWest Africa, an influence that has permeated much of his work.[1] Harris has toured extensively throughoutEurope,Canada, West Africa,Japan andAustralia. He is known for hissolo acoustic work as well as his electricband, formerly known as the '5 x 5', now known as The Corey Harris Band. He helpedBilly Bragg andWilco to write the music for "Hoodoo Voodoo" onMermaid Avenue, an album consisting entirely of songs for which the lyrics were written byWoody Guthrie. He also appeared as a musician and vocalist on the album and its sequels,Mermaid Avenue Vol. II andMermaid Avenue Vol. III.[4]
In September 2007, theJohn D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced that Harris was among 24 people namedMacArthur Fellows for 2007.[5] The Fellowship, worth $500,000, is payable over five years.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
