David Ryan Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids David Ryan Harris |
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Harris performing in 2017
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1967/1968 (age 56–57) Evanston, Illinois, U.S |
David Ryan Harris (born in 1967 or 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He lives in Los Angeles, California. David was born in Evanston, Illinois, but moved to Atlanta when he was young. He has had a very interesting career as a musician.
Contents
Musical Inspirations
David Ryan Harris has said that artists like Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, and Prince have inspired his music. His own songs mix different styles, from folk music to rhythm and blues.
Music Career
Starting with Follow for Now
David has been performing on stage since the 1980s. He was the main singer for an Atlanta rock band called Follow for Now. David's wide taste in music was clear in the band's songs. Their music had influences from Motown (a type of soul music) to thrash metal (a fast, heavy rock style).
Follow for Now signed a record deal with Chrysalis Records. They worked with producer Brendan O'Brien. In 1991, they released their first album, which was also called Follow for Now. The band went on tour with famous groups like Fishbone and Pearl Jam. The band members decided to go their separate ways in 1994.
Beginning a Solo Career
After a short break, David Harris started working as a producer. He also played guitar for Dionne Farris. She was a singer from the hip-hop group Arrested Development. You can hear David's guitar playing all over Dionne Farris's 1995 album, Wild Seed, Wild Flower.
David worked with Dionne Farris until he started his own solo career in 1997. He teamed up again with Brendan O'Brien. David signed with Columbia Records, and they produced his first solo album. Even though music critics liked the album, David's mix of musical styles made it hard to sell. Soon after, he moved on to his next music project.
Forming Brand New Immortals
Still working with O'Brien, David Harris formed a band called Brand New Immortals. He joined with drummer Kenny Creswell and Johnny Colt, who used to be the bassist for the Black Crowes.
The group released a successful six-song collection called an EP. They then signed with Elektra Records. In 2001, the band released an album called Tragic Show. The band felt that Elektra Records did not promote the album well enough. Early the next year, the band broke up. David Harris then went back to trying to succeed as a solo artist.
Collaborations and Recent Work
David Harris continues to work on his solo music. However, he often performs on stage with other famous artists. These include John Mayer, Dave Matthews, and Santana. He has also performed at The Rock Boat music festival many times.
In March 2009, David performed with Australian musician Guy Sebastian at SXSW in Austin, Texas. He also played with Steve Cropper and Sebastian in Philadelphia. David Harris and Guy Sebastian have worked together for a long time. In 2004, Guy Sebastian recorded "Sweetest Berry," a song written by David Ryan Harris. It was on Guy's second album, Beautiful Life.
In 2006, David helped write two songs for Guy Sebastian's third album, Closer to the Sun. In 2009, he co-wrote four songs for Guy's fifth album. This included the popular song "Like it Like That". David also played on and produced this song. It became number one in Australia and sold many copies. David helped produce the album and sang backing vocals. He also played instruments on some of the songs. The album was released in the U.S. in 2010.
In 2012, David Harris co-wrote "Battle Scars" with Guy Sebastian. This song featured a rap by Lupe Fiasco. It reached number one in Australia and was very popular in New Zealand and Norway. "Battle Scars" was also on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart for 20 weeks. It sold over one million copies. David Ryan Harris toured Australia with Guy Sebastian on the 46-show Get Along Tour in 2013.
David has also played guitar on the album Who I Am by Nick Jonas and the Administration. This album came out on February 2, 2010. In late 2011, David produced the first album for Australian singer-songwriter Amali Ward, called Back in Time. In late 2012, David joined Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora's solo band for a short tour. David also appeared in a TV special called Next at the Kennedy Center.
Personal Life
David Harris is married and has five sons: Miles, Life, River, Truman, and Hendrix. He also has a daughter named Tate Farris with singer Dionne Farris. Tate Farris is a rapper who performs as Baby Tate.
In September 2023, David Harris and two of his children were stopped by airline officials. They were traveling from Atlanta to Los Angeles. After a discussion, they were allowed to continue their trip. David later shared his experience online and received an apology from the airline, which he accepted.
