Norman Harris

Guitarist/manufacturer/arranger/songwriter Norman Harris could be heard on countless Philly spirit sessions from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. He was a founding person in MFSB, the tempo/strings/horns aggregation that was the home music group for Gamble & Huff’s Philadelphia International label. As you third from the creation trio of Baker-Harris-Young, he created strikes on First Choice, Eddie Holman, the Salsoul Orchestra, and Appreciate Committee for Salsoul Information, aswell as Atlantic Information serves the Trammps. He also acquired strikes with Gloria Gaynor (“Honey Bee”), the Delfonics (“La La Means I REALLY LIKE You,” “Didn’t I Blow YOUR BRAIN”), Jerry Butler (“Hey Traditional western Union Man,” “Just the Solid Survive”), Wilson Pickett (“Engine # 9 9,” “DON’T ALLOW the Green Lawn Fool You”), Joe Simon ( “Drowning in the ocean of Like,” “Power of Like”), as well as the Spinners (“I’M GOING TO BE Around,” “CAN IT BE I’m Falling in Like”), among numerous others. Beside fellow MFSB associates drummer Earl Youthful and bassist Ron Baker, Harris’ regular songwriting partners had been Allan Felder and Bunny Sigler. He developed his exclusive string and horn plans by composing the parts on his acoustic guitar. Harris and Baker 1st teamed up past due in the ’50s, and started playing in Philly-area night clubs. If they got demands recording classes in the ’60s, the duo started dealing with drummer Karl Chambers. Later on adding drummer Small, the trio started to build up a significant reputation as a good tempo section. After playing on a lot of hits, they made a decision to form an archive label and music-publishing company known as Golden Fleece, and exercised a cope with Sigma Audio Studios owner Joe Tarsia. Vocal trio First Choice was presented to Harris by WDAS DJ Jimmy Bishop, and started documenting for the Philly Groove label written by Bell Information. The hits begun to arrive: “Equipped and Extremely Harmful,” “Smarty Parts,” “The Participant,” and “Newsy Neighbours.” When Harris began his very own Salsoul-distributed Gold Brain label in 1979, he agreed upon the group. Harris also became a saving artist, saving as the Harris Machine and one self-titled 1979 Salsoul LP as part of Baker-Harris-Young.