Curtis Harding facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Curtis Harding
Harding performing in 2018
Background information
Born	(1979-06-11) June 11, 1979 (age 46) Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter actor
Instruments	Vocals drums guitar tambourine
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Burger Records Anti-

Curtis Harding (born June 11, 1979) is an American singer and songwriter. He is mostly known for his soul music. Harding calls his unique sound "slop 'n' soul." This style mixes the sounds of blues, gospel, psychedelia, R&B, and rock.

Harding released his first album, Soul Power, in 2014. His second album, Face Your Fear, came out in 2017. It was produced by famous musicians Danger Mouse and Sam Cohen.

Born in Saginaw, Michigan, Harding's family moved to Atlanta when he was a teenager. Music was a big part of his childhood. His mother was a gospel singer, and his family often traveled with her for performances. In the 2000s, Harding worked as a backup singer for CeeLo Green. In 2009, he started a band called Night Sun with members of the band Black Lips.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Harding was born on June 11, 1979, in Saginaw, Michigan. His mother, Dorothy, was a gospel singer, and his father was a mechanic. He grew up with five brothers and sisters in a Mennonite family. His family moved around a lot, living in Alabama, Arizona, California, and Texas. They finally settled in Atlanta, Georgia, when Harding was 14.

His mother traveled in a van to sing at churches and help at homeless shelters. Harding grew up listening to his mother's music. He sometimes sang with her on stage until he was 15. His sister, who was an amateur rapper, introduced him to music that wasn't religious.

Even though he first wanted to be a professional athlete, music became a big part of his life. He told a newspaper that growing up around older people made him feel mature at a young age.

Music Career

Working with Other Artists

In the early 2000s, Harding was in a hip-hop group in Atlanta called Proseed. He met the singer CeeLo Green and rapped on some songs on Green's 2002 album, Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections. He also toured with CeeLo Green as a backup singer. He later co-wrote a song for Green's 2010 album, The Lady Killer.

In 2009, Harding returned to Atlanta and started a band called Night Sun. The band mixed rhythm and blues with garage rock. The members included Harding, Cole Alexander and Joe Bradley from the band Black Lips, and Danny Lee Blackwell from the band Night Beats. In 2013, they recorded a single for the Burger Records label.

Harding performing with his band in February 2016.

Solo Albums and Success

Harding recorded his first solo album, Soul Power, in 2014. It was released by Burger Records and received good reviews. Critics liked how it blended many different types of music. One of the popular songs from the album was "Keep on Shining."

After meeting fashion photographer Hedi Slimane, Harding became a model for Yves Saint Laurent's 2015 music project. Slimane made a video for Harding's song "Next Time" and also took the photo for the album cover.

His second album, Face Your Fear, was released in 2017. It was recorded in New York City at a studio owned by Danger Mouse. The album was very successful and appeared on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. NPR Music called it one of the best R&B albums of 2017.

The album's title track, "Face Your Fear," was described by GQ magazine as a song that could be played at both a wedding and a funeral because it is happy, sad, and groovy all at once. In 2018, Harding performed his song "Need Your Love" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

In 2018, Harding released the single "It's Not Over" before touring with Lenny Kravitz. In 2019, he was the main performer at the end of the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina.

What is "Slop 'n' Soul" Music?

Harding performing at the Adler Theater in 2016.

Harding calls his style of music "slop 'n' soul." This name combines his Southern roots ("slop") with the soul he grew up with. He mixes soul with blues, gospel, psychedelia, R&B, and rock.

"Soul is an experience," Harding said in an interview. "It can be in the way you dress, the way you talk... It's a feeling that you can translate to someone with whatever you're doing."

His music often features sounds not typically found in soul, like vintage synthesizers. Some songs have soft strings and his smooth voice, while in other songs, his powerful voice moves into a high falsetto range with lively brass instruments.

Harding's musical influences include his mother, Mahalia Jackson, MC Lyte, Bob Dylan, and the Everly Brothers. Some critics see him as one of the new stars of classic soul music.

Acting Career

Harding is also an actor. He appeared in the third season of the Sundance TV show Hap and Leonard. He played the role of a famous blues musician named L.C. Soothe. The season was filmed in 2017 and started airing in March 2018.

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Music videos

Guest appearances