The Don Harrison Band | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Rock |
| Years active | 1976 (1976)–1977 (1977) |
| Labels | Atlantic |
| Past members | Don Harrison Stu Cook Doug Clifford Russell DaShiell John Tanner |
The Don Harrison Band were a 1970s Americanroots rock band that featuredDon Harrison on vocals, guitar and keyboards,Stu Cook on bass and piano andDoug Clifford on drums and percussion. Stu Cook and Doug "Cosmo" Clifford were both former members ofCreedence Clearwater Revival.[1][2] The line-up also includedRussell DaShiell formerly ofCrowfoot on lead and rhythm guitar, piano and vocals.[1] The band merged elements offolk,country,rhythm & blues androck & roll in a sound reminiscent ofCCR.[3]
Don Harrison was born c.1944 and grew up in an integrated Louisville, Kentucky, neighborhood.[4] He first performed as a singer in an otherwise all-blacka cappella group.[4] He relocated to Los Angeles in 1962 where he performed in bars and as a studio musician.[4] After Creedence split up, Cook and Clifford had set up a studio in a converted warehouse known as The Factory.[4] Originally DaShiell, Cook and Clifford intended to produce Harrison, but they then decided to launch the band together with him instead.[4] They were signed byAtlantic Records, and debuted with acover version ofTennessee Ernie Ford's 1955 hit "Sixteen Tons", which featured Hugh Cregg (later better known asHuey Lewis) onharmonica.[4][5]
They released two albums on Atlantic:The Don Harrison Band (Atlantic SD-18171) in April 1976, which featured theMemphis Horns, andRed Hot (Wounded Bird Records - WOBR 1820) in January 1977.[6] The band's debut album peaked at number 159 on theBillboard 200, and received a positive critical response.[7][8][9] They also made the charts with "Sixteen Tons", which peaked at number 47 on theBillboard Hot 100.[5][7]Red Hot, which saw the addition of keyboard player John Tanner, also received positive reviews but was less commercially successful.[10][11] During the band's heyday, Don Harrison resided inBell Gardens, California leading a modest lifestyle in a lower-middle-class neighborhood, where he converted a multiplex into a modest looking single family home.
A highlight for the band was performing as opening act at the 1976Knebworth Festival headlined by theRolling Stones.[12]
After the breakup, Harrison recorded a solo album (Not Far From Free) and then seemingly disappeared from the music scene. DaShiell recorded a solo albumElevator (with Cook and Clifford on bass and drums) and signed with Epic Records. As of 2012, Harrison continued to work and record in the Los Angeles area. Cook later played inSouthern Pacific.[13] Also as of 2012, the ex-CCR members, Cook and Clifford, were back on tour performing with their band,Creedence Clearwater Revisited.[13] Don Harrison now[when?] lives in Utah with his wife and family.
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