Betty Harris

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Betty Harris

Background information
Born 1939 in Orlando, FL, U.S.
Genre(s) Soul Music
Southern soul
Occupation(s) Vocalist
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active 1960's, 2000's
Label(s) Jubilee, Sansu

Betty Harris (born 1939, in Orlando, Florida) is an American Soul Singer. Her recording career in the 1960's produced three hit records that made the Billboard R&B and pop charts: "Cry to Me" (1963), "Hiss Kiss" (1964) and "Nearer to You" (1967). However, her reputation among soul music connoisseurs far exceeds her commercial success of the 1960's, and her recordings for the Jubilee and Sansu record labels are highly sought after in the 2000's by fans of Northern Soul and Deep Soul.

Contents

[edit] Career

In 1963, after being in the music business for a few years, Betty Harris recorded a slowed down version of Solomon Burke's hit of the year before, "Cry to me", produced by the original record's producer, Bert Berns, and released on the Jubilee record label. Taken at a slower pace, Betty's rendition turned the song into a top 10 R&B hit and Deep Soul classic. Two further singles were released on Jubilee, also produced by Bert Berns, with "Hiss Kiss", another Deep Soul ballad, making the lower part of Billboard Pop and R&B charts.

In 1965, Betty Harris switched record labels to Sansu, a New Orleans label, where she was produced by legendary New Orleans producer Allen Toussaint. Her contract with Sansu produced 10 singles. Of those, only "Nearer to You", an atmospheric, dramatic soul ballad, now considered one of the milestones of Deep Soul, achieved U.S. national chart success. However, practically all of her recordings for Sansu, uptempo tunes and ballads alike, featuring Allen Toussaint's raw yet sophisticated Southern Soul arrangements behind with Betty's rich, distinctive vocal, are considered prime specimens of the classic soul era; some notable recordings were "I'm Evil Tonight", a beat ballad favored among Northern Soul circles; "I Don't Want To Hear It", "Show it" and "Twelve Red Roses", stirring uptempo tracks; "Can't Last Much Longer" and "What'd I Do Wrong", emotive Deep Soul ballads.

All of the Sansu recordings were compilated into an album released in the U.K. (but not the U.S.), in 1969, called "Soul Perfection", an album which, in its vinyl format, although not extremely rare, commands relatively high prices of $200 to $300 in 2007.

A comprehensive CD compilation of Betty Harris recordings was released in 1999 by UK rerelease label, West Side.

In 2004, Betty Harris returned to the music business after a long departure. She has made several public appearances the U.S. and Europe, including the 2007 Porretta Soul Festival in Italy, and has recorded a new album, Intuition.[1]

[edit] Discography

[edit] U.S. Singles

  • "Taking Care Of Business" / "Yesterday's Kisses" - Douglas 104 (1962)
  • "Cry To Me" / "I'll Be A Liar" - Jubilee 5456 (1963)
  • "His Kiss" / "It's Dark Outside" - Jubilee 5465 (1964)
  • "Mojo Hannah" / "Now Is The Hour" - Jubilee 5480 (1964)
  • "What A Sad Feeling" / "I'm Evil Tonight" - Sansu 450 (1965)
  • "I Don't Want To Hear It" / "Sometime" - Sansu 452 (1966)
  • "Twelve Red Roses" / "What'd I Do Wrong" - Sansu 455 (1966)
  • "Lonely Hearts" / "Bad Luck" - Sansu 461 (1967)
  • "Nearer To You" / "I'm Evil Tonight" - Sansu 466 (1967)
  • "Can't Last Much Longer" / "I'm Gonna Git Ya" - Sansu 471 (1967)
  • "Love Lots Of Lovin"' / "Take Care Of Our Love" (with Lee Dorsey) - Sansu 474 (1968)
  • "What'd I Do Wrong" / "Mean Man" - Sansu 478 (1968)
  • "Hook Line 'N' Sinker" / "Show It" - Sansu 479 (1968)
  • "Ride Your Pony" / "Trouble With My Lover" - Sansu 480 (1968)
  • "There's A Break In The Road" / "All I Want Is You" - SSS International 766 (1969)
  • "Cry To Me" / "I'll Be A Liar" (reissue) - Jubilee 5658 (1969)

[edit] Albums

  • Intuition (2007) - Evidence (2007)

[edit] Vinyl Compilations

  • Soul Perfection - Action ACLP 6007 (U.K.) (1969)
  • In The Saddle - Charly LP CRB 1002 (U.K.) (1980)

[edit] Compilation CD

  • Soul Perfection Plus - West Side (U.K.) (1999)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Intuition at Allmusic

[edit] External links


[edit] See also

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