Rufus Harley facts for kids

Rufus Harley Jr. (born May 20, 1936 – died August 1, 2006) was an American jazz musician. He was famous for being the first jazz musician to use the Great Highland bagpipe as his main instrument.

Rufus Harley's Early Life

A painting of Rufus Harley and Harley's son America Patton

Rufus Harley Jr. was born near Raleigh, North Carolina. When he was young, he moved with his mother to a poor neighborhood in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He started playing the C melody saxophone when he was 12 years old. He also played the trumpet. At age 22, he began to study music with Dennis Sandole. Sandole was a jazz guitarist who taught many musicians in Philadelphia. Rufus learned saxophone, flute, oboe, and clarinet from him.

Discovering the Bagpipes

Rufus Harley was inspired to learn the bagpipes in November 1963. He saw the Black Watch band play in John F. Kennedy's funeral procession.

At that time, Rufus worked for Philadelphia's housing authority. He started looking for bagpipes in the city but could not find any. So, he traveled to New York City. There, he found a set of bagpipes in a pawn shop. He bought them for $120.

Rufus quickly learned to play the bagpipes in jazz, blues, and funk styles. Sometimes, his neighbors would call the police because of the loud practice. Rufus would quickly hide his bagpipes. He would then ask the officers, "Do I look like I'm Irish or Scottish to you?" He later bought a much better set of bagpipes for over $1,000.

Music Career and Performances

Rufus Harley first performed with his bagpipes in 1964. From 1965 to 1970, he released four albums with Atlantic Records. These albums were produced by Joel Dorn, who supported him early on.

He also played with other famous musicians. He recorded with Herbie Mann, Sonny Stitt, and Sonny Rollins in the 1960s and 1970s. Later, he recorded with Laurie Anderson for her 1982 album Big Science. He also played with The Roots on their 1995 album Do You Want More?!!!??!. This happened after he appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1994. Besides bagpipes, he sometimes played tenor saxophone, flute, or electric soprano saxophone on these albums.

Style and Legacy

Rufus Harley often wore Scottish clothes, including a kilt. He also wore a Viking-style horned helmet. After seeing him on TV, a Scottish family gave him his own tartan. This was the MacLeod tartan, which he wore for the rest of his life.

His way of playing the bagpipes was a bit unique. He placed the drone pipes over his right shoulder instead of his left. He often played in the key of B-flat minor.

Rufus lived for many years in the Germantown neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He often gave presentations in schools around Philadelphia. When he traveled overseas for performances, he carried small copies of the Liberty Bell. This bell is a symbol of his hometown. He also gave out American flags and copies of the U.S. Constitution.

He appeared on several TV shows. These included What's My Line?, To Tell the Truth, and I've Got a Secret. He also had small roles in movies like You're a Big Boy Now (1966) and Eddie and the Cruisers (1983). Besides his music, he worked for the Philadelphia Housing Authority for many years.

In 1998, his album Brotherly Love was released. A book called The Jazzish Bagpiper also came out. It had photos and talks with Rufus Harley. Ralph Stevenson Jr., his executive producer, wrote about him:

Rufus Harley lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is the home of the Liberty Bell. Harley, a musical ambassador, has been welcomed by leaders and famous people worldwide. His message of peace and love is part of this album. It shows his hard work with the saxophone and bagpipes.

Rufus Harley played with many important musicians. These included John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dexter Gordon.

Rufus Harley passed away from prostate cancer on August 1, 2006. He died at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.

After he died, a special album was released in November 2006. It was called Courage: The Atlantic Recordings. This album had all the songs from his four Atlantic LPs. It also included a song called Where Have All the Flowers Gone? that was recorded in 1969 but never released.

Rufus Harley's Albums

As the Main Artist

• 1965 Bagpipe Blues (Atlantic)
• 1966 Scotch & Soul (Atlantic)
• 1968 A Tribute to Courage (Atlantic)
• 1970 King/Queens (Atlantic)
• 1972 Re-Creation of the Gods (Ankh)
• 1998 Brotherly Love (Tartan Pride)
• 2000 The Pied Piper of Jazz (a collection of his Atlantic songs)
• 2005 Sustain (Discograph)
• 2007 Rufus Harley with Georges Arvanitas Trio – From Philadelphia to Paris (Blue Cat Music)
• 2009 Re-Creation of the Gods (Transparency)
• 2009 Bagpipes of the World (Transparency)
• 2006 Courage: The Atlantic Recordings (Rhino Handmade, a special limited edition)

Playing with Other Artists

With Laurie Anderson

• 1982 Big Science (he played bagpipes on the song "Sweaters")

With Herbie Mann

• 1967 The Wailing Dervishes (on the song "Flute Bag")

With Sonny Rollins

• 1974 The Cutting Edge (on the song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot")

With The Roots:

• 1995 Do You Want More?!!!??!

With Sonny Stitt

• 1966 Deuces Wild (Atlantic)

Films Featuring Rufus Harley

• 2008 Pipes of Peace: Rufus Harley (DVD)