- Barbara Harris (singer)
Barbara Ann Harris (born
August 18 ,1945 inElizabeth City, North Carolina ) is anAfrican American R&B singer, best known as a member of the 1960sgirl group The Toys .Barbara started singing in her hometown churches at an early age, and moved to
Queens, New York at the age of eleven. Inhigh school , Harris joined a group with four other young singers: Barbara Parritt Toomer, June Montiero, Betty Stokes and Betty Blocker. Stokes and Blocker eventually left the group, while the Harris, Toomer and Montiero formed a trio. Bobby Uri, amanager and friend, named the group "The Charlettes" and got them work doing background vocals for severalrecording artist s. At a talent show inBrooklyn they met Eddy Chase, who in turn introduced them to manager Vince Marc and songwriter/recording executiveBob Crewe . The group became "The Toys " and landed their first recording contract on Crewe'sDynoVoice Records . The Toys were teamed up withsongwriter /producersSandy Linzer and Denny Randell . They took a piano exercise from Bach, put a Motown bassline to it, and "A Lover's Concerto " was born; the song soon rose to number two on the U.S. charts. The band followed that up with another hit, "Attack", also written by Linzer and Randell, which reached the Top 20.Barbara Harris continues to perform at "Oldie Shows" as "The Toys featuring Barbara Harris". She has also sung with Joe Rivers, known for
Johnnie & Joe 's classic hit, "Over The Mountain". In 1998 she produced and released her first soloCD entitled "Barbara Now", for which she wrote all but two of thesong s.External links
* [http://www.barbarastoys.net/ Barbara Harris official website]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.