Jet Harris

Jet Harris

Infobox musical artist

|
Name = Jet Harris
| Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Terence Harris
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1939|7|6
Died =
Origin = Kingsbury, North London, England
Instrument = bass guitar
Voice_type =
Genre =
Occupation = bassist
Years_active =
Label =
Associated_acts = The Shadows
URL = [http://www.jet-harris.com/ jet-harris.com]
Notable_instruments =

Jet Harris (born Terence Harris, 6 July 1939, Honeypot Lane, Kingsbury, North London, England) was the bass guitarist of The Shadows until April 1962.

Life and career

Although he learned to play clarinet as a teenager, he made his own four string double bass to play in a jazz group and later graduated to a professionally made double bass. In 1958, while playing jazz with drummer Tony Crombie, Crombie suggested that Harris should try "this new guitar". Thus Harris was possibly the first person in Britain to own an electric bass guitar, and certainly the first to play one in a band.Fact|date=June 2008 His original instrument was a Framus Star bass imported by Besson & Co from West Germany.

He played in several groups including The Vipers Skiffle Group and The Most Brothers before joining (in 1959) Cliff Richard's backing group The Drifters, who later changed their name to The Shadows (a name Harris took from Bobby Vee's old backing group). In 1959, after the neck of his Framus was terminally damaged in a dressing room accident, he was presented (by the importers) with one of the first Fender Precision Basses which came to Britain from the United States.Fact|date=June 2008

Harris also contributed vocally, adding backup harmonies and occasional lead vocals. He also had a trademark scream used in the Shadows' "Feeling Fine" and Cliff Richard's "Do You Want to Dance".

In 1962, he left the Shadows due to disagreements arising on tour (according to "The Story of The Shadows", written by the group with Mike Read). He released solo instrumental and vocal work with some success and, as part of a duo with former Shadows drummer Tony Meehan, topped the UK Singles Chart in early 1963 with "Diamonds" (featuring Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar). Harris and Meehan followed this with two further smashes, "Applejack" and "Scarlett O'Hara".

However, a motor car crash later that year (in which singer Billie Davis was also injured), as well as personal problems, meant that this success did not last long. Harris attempted a solo comeback in 1966 and was briefly in the line-up of the Jeff Beck Group in 1967, but somewhat fell out of the music industry. He then worked variously as a labourer, bricklayer, porter in a hospital, bus conductor, and as a seller of cockles on the beach in Jersey.

Harris still played occasionally, with backing band The Diamonds or as a guest with The Rapiers, and teamed up with Tony Meehan for a support performance in Cliff Richard's 1989 'The Event' concerts.

In 1998 he was awarded a Fender Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in popularising the bass guitar in Britain.

2006 saw Harris' first single release in over 40 years, "San Antonio".fact|date=July 2008

Harris is still an active performer.

elected Singles Discography

* "Diamonds" (with Tony Meehan)
* "Scarlett O'Hara" (with Tony Meehan)
* "Applejack" (with Tony Meehan)
* "Main Title Theme (from The Man With the Golden Arm)" (solo)
* "Besame Mucho" (solo)
* "San Antonio" (solo)

External links

* [http://www.jetharris.biz/ Official home of Jet Harris' new album]


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