Anne Harris (musician)

Anne Harris

Anne Harris at the Liri Blues fest., Italy, in 2010
Background information
Birth name Anne Harris
Born Yellow Springs, Ohio, U.S.
Genres Celtic music, folk rock, afrobeat, soul, blues, chamber music
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, actor
Instruments Vocals, songwriter, violin
Years active 1997–present
Labels Rugged Road Records
Associated acts Otis Taylor, Jefferson Starship, Poi Dog Pondering
Website www.anneharris.com

Anne Harris is a singer, songwriter, violinist, recording artist and actor based in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] She has independently produced and released four studio albums on her record label, Rugged Road Records: Anne Harris (2001), Open Your Doors (2003), Wine and Poetry (2005)[3] and Gravity and Faith (2008). A live album, Live at the Acorn Theater, was also released in 2008.[4] Her music has been described by various writers as incorporating a variety of influences, including traditional Celtic music, American folk-rock,[5] Afrobeat,[1] soul, and chamber music. For lack of a specific genre label, her work has been dubbed "conscious music" which refers to music and lyrics that have some basis in a spiritual, humanist philosophy.[3]

Harris grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio, home of Antioch College. The earthy, liberal and progressive environment of her hometown remains an influence in her songwriting to this day.[1] She began studying classical violin at the age of eight and eventually attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she earned a degree from the School of Music. After college, Harris moved to Chicago and worked as an actor in theater and commercials for a few years before returning to music around 1997.[3] She worked for a while with a number of local Chicago bands, notably Poi Dog Pondering, building a strong reputation for her instrumental talent. Over time she began writing and performing her own music.[6]

Along with her recorded work, Harris has since performed at the North by Northeast music festival in Toronto, Canada, has sung the U.S. National Anthem at a Chicago Cubs baseball game[2] and was awarded "Album Artwork of the Year" honors at the 2006 DIY Music Festival in Los Angeles for her Wine and Poetry CD packaging.[3]

Harris continues to play violin with other notable national artists. She's currently touring with trance-blues innovator and 2009 Blues Music Award winner, Otis Taylor[7][8] and also appears with Cathy Richardson Band and Jefferson Starship.[9]

She is currently serving an elected term on the Board of Governors of the Chicago Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.[10]

Harris also appears as the character "Prudence" on three episodes of Jack's Big Music Show, a music oriented children's television program on Noggin.[11]

Discography

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Downing 2007
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 MacNeil, Allmusic
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Hughes 2007
  4. ↑ Issacson 2008
  5. ↑ Chicago magazine
  6. ↑ Miller 2003
  7. ↑ Cote 2008
  8. ↑ Taylor
  9. ↑ Hughes 2008
  10. ↑ Recording Academy
  11. ↑ Spiffy Pictures

References

  • "FrontLines", Chicago magazine 52 (3), March 1, 2003: 18
  • Downing, Andy (April 20, 2007), "Fresh off 'Wine and Poetry,' Harris gets into the spirit", Chicago Tribune (Section 7): 12 Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  • Hughes, Andrew S. (June 15, 2007), "All kinds of music intoxicating to Harris", South Bend Tribune: D3
  • MacNeil, Jason. "Allmusic: Anne Harris: Overview". AllMusicGuide. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  • Miller, Bryan (May 30, 2003), "Bringing the fiddle back to rock", The DePaulia Magazine (special edition) (Depaul University, Chicago) 2: 4
  • "Recording Academy, Chicago Chapter". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  • "All about Jack's Big Music Show". Spiffy Pictures. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  • Isaacson, Gail (October 1, 2008), "Dune Ledger: 200 Words or Less", Lake Magazine (LaPorte, Indiana): 45
  • Cote, Michael (February 1, 2009), "Cassie Taylor: A Bluesman's Daughter Finds Her Place in the Spotlight", Blues Review (116): 11
  • Taylor, Otis. "Otis Taylor: Band". Otis Taylor. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  • Hughes, Andrew S. (October 19, 2008), "Paul Kantner Returns to Folk Roots", South Bend Tribune: 10