Don "Sugarcane" Harris

Don "Sugarcane" Harris
Harris performing in Hamburg, 1971
Background information
Birth name	Don Francis Bowman Harris
Born	June 18, 1938(1938-06-18) Pasadena, California, United States
Died	November 30, 1999(1999-11-30) (aged 61) Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Rock and roll, R&B
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Vocals, Electric violin violin, guitar
Years active	1960s - 1999
Labels	Specialty
Associated acts	Tupelo Chain Sex, Frank Zappa, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Pure Food and Drug Act
Website	Sugarcane Harris.com

Don "Sugarcane" Harris (born Don Francis Bowman Harris, June 18, 1938^[1] - November 30, 1999) was an American rock and roll violinist and guitarist.

Biography

Harris was born and raised in Pasadena, California and started an act called Don and Dewey with his childhood friend Dewey Terry in the mid 1950s. Although they were recorded by Art Rupe on his Specialty label, mostly utilizing the services of legendary drummer Earl Palmer, Don and Dewey didn't have any hits. However, Harris and Terry co-authored such early rock and roll classics as "Farmer John", "Justine", "Leavin' It All Up to you", and "Big Boy Pete," all of which became hits for other artists.

At some point in his career, Harris was given the nickname "Sugarcane" by LA bandleader Johnny Otis and it was to remain with him throughout his life.

After separating from Dewey Terry in the 1960s Harris moved almost exclusively over to the electric violin. He was to reappear as a sideman with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Frank Zappa, most recognized for his appearances on Hot Rats, and on the Mothers of Invention albums Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh. His lead vocal and blues violin solo on a cover of Little Richard's "Directly From My Heart to You" on Weasels, and his extended solo on the lengthy "Little House I Used To Live In" on Weeny are considered highlights of those albums.

During the early 1970s, Sugarcane fronted the Pure Food and Drug Act which included drummer Paul Lagos, guitarists Harvey Mandel and Randy Resnick, and bassist Victor Conte, who was the founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO). Conte replaced Larry Taylor who was the original bass player.

In the 1980s, Sugarcane was a member of the Los Angeles-based experimental rock band Tupelo Chain Sex.

Harris died on November 30, 1999 in Los Angeles, California.^[2]

Discography

• Don „Sugarcane“ Harris – 1970
• Keep On Driving – 1971
• Fiddler On The Rock – 1971
• Choice Cuts – 1972
• Sugar Cane’s Got The Blues – 1973
• Keyzop – 1973
• Cup Full Of Dreams – 1974
• I’m On Your Case – 1974
• Key Stop – 1975
• Flashin' Time – 1976
• Anthology Volume One – 2001
• Cup Full Of Dreams CD – 2011

Collaborations

John Lee Hooker: Folk Blues – 1959 Little Richard: Little Richard is back – 1964 Johnny Otis: Cold Shot – 1969 John Mayall & Bluesbreakers: The Best of John Mayall – 1969 Frank Zappa: Hot Rats – 1969 The Mothers of Invention: Burnt Weeny Sandwich – 1970 The Mothers of Invention: Weasels Ripped My Flesh – 1970 Frank Zappa: Chunga's Revenge – 1970 Little Richard: Well Alright! – 1970 John Mayall: USA Union - 1970 Johnny Otis: Cuttin’ up – The Johnny Otis Show – 1971 Harvey Mandel: The Snake - 1972 Pure Food & Drug Act: Choice Cuts – 1972 New Violin Summit (with Jean-Luc Ponty, Michał Urbaniak, Nipso Brantner, Terje Rypdal, Wolfgang Dauner, Neville Whitehead, Robert Wyatt) - 1972 Ken Little: Solo - 1973 Harvey Mandel: Shangrenade - 1973 John Mayall: Ten Years Are Gone – 1973

John Lee Hooker: Born In Mississippi – 1973 Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee: Sonny & Brownie – 1973 Frank Zappa: Apostrophe (') – 1974 Don & Dewey: Don And Dewey – 1974 Spud: Happy Handful – 1975 John Mayall: New Year, New Band, New Company – 1975 John Mayall: Notice To Appear – 1975 John Mayall: Banquet In Blues – 1976 Billy Bang: Changing Seasons – 1980 Tupelo Chain Sex: Ja-Jazz – 1983 Tupelo Chain Sex: Spot The Difference – 1984 Don & Dewey: Bim Bam! – 1985 John Mayall: Archives To Eighties – 1988 Don & Dewey: Jungle Hop – 1991 John Mayall: Room To Move (1969–1974) – 1992 Freddie Roulette: Sweet Funky Steel – 1993 John Mayall: Cross Country Blues – 1994 Frank Zappa: The Lost Episodes – 1996

References

1. ^ Family Tree Legends
2. ^ Pareles, Jon (December 10, 1999). "Don Harris, 61, A Versatile Master Of Rhythm and Blues (obituary)". New York Times. pp. C19. http://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/10/arts/don-harris-61-a-versatile-master-of-rhythm-and-blues.html. Retrieved 24 February 2010. 

External links

• http://www.sugarcane-harris.com/
• Obituary at the New York Times
• Don "Sugarcane" Harris at Allmusic
• Sugarcane Harris at www.united-mutations.com
• New Violin Summit at Allmusic

Persondata
Name	Harris, Don Sugarcane
Alternative names
Short description	American rock and roll violinist and guitarist
Date of birth	June 18, 1938
Place of birth	Pasadena, California, United States
Date of death	November 30, 1999
Place of death	Los Angeles, California, United States