Peppermint Harris facts for kids

Harrison Demotra Nelson, Jr. (born July 17, 1925 – died March 19, 1999) was an American singer and guitarist. He was famous for playing rhythm and blues and jump blues music. Most people knew him by his stage name, Peppermint Harris.

Who Was Peppermint Harris?

Peppermint Harris was born in Texarkana, Texas. He became a well-known musician in the mid-1900s. His music was a mix of blues and rhythm, which was very popular at the time. He played both the guitar and sang.

Starting His Music Career

Peppermint Harris began his music journey in the late 1940s. He made his first recordings in Houston, Texas. Back then, he was known as Peppermint Nelson. A famous blues musician named Lightnin' Hopkins sometimes played with him.

In 1950, he recorded a song called "Raining In My Heart." This song was released by a record label called Sittin' in With. The person who ran the label, Bob Shad, supposedly forgot Nelson's full name. So, he released the song under the name Peppermint Harris. That's how his stage name came to be!

His Biggest Song

In 1951, Peppermint Harris moved to Los Angeles, California. He signed with Modern Records. This was a big step for his career.

That same year, he had his most successful song. It was called "I Got Loaded" and was released on the Aladdin Records label. This song became a huge hit! It reached number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart in November 1951. He released eight more songs on the same label, but they were not as popular.

Later Years and Legacy

After his big hit, Peppermint Harris continued to record music. He worked with different smaller record labels in Southern California during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1962, he released an album with his own name on the Time label.

Later in his life, he recorded music in Shreveport, Louisiana. He also worked in places like Sacramento, California and New Jersey. His final album was released in 1995 on the Home Cooking label.

Peppermint Harris passed away in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in March 1999. He was 73 years old. His music helped shape the sound of rhythm and blues.