Mary Harris is an American keyboardist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Since 2012 she has performed as a member of the band Ambrosia. As a member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band she arranged vocals and sang on recordings and live performances, and has worked with Stewart Copeland and Stanley Clarke, and recorded for Pink Floyd. She is also a founding member of the group Tin Drum, along with her husband and musical partner Burleigh Drummond, who also performs with her in Ambrosia.
Mary Harris | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
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| Website | www |
Early life
editHarris began playing piano at age four, starting formal lessons at age five. She grew up from early childhood in the town of Three Rivers, California, where she performed from age ten on with family members locally.
Early music career
editHarris' first paying music performances were with bands including Oak Grove and Fair Game in Three Rivers in the seventies and early eighties. She moved to Los Angeles, California in 1982.
Professional career
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Harris became well known for her singing and vocal arranging with Jimmy Buffett as a long-time member of the Coral Reefer Band.[1][2] She joined Buffett's band on the recommendation of Coral Reefer Band singer Brie Howard.[3] Harris has performed and recorded with numerous notable music acts including Stewart Copeland, and Stanley Clarke in the band Animal Logic[4]
Harris joined the progressive rock group Ambrosia in 2012 as a full-time member, and is currently active in touring, composing and recording with the band, which includes her husband and Ambrosia founding member Burleigh Drummond.
Tin Drum and Bill Champlin's Wunderground
editBesides Ambrosia, Harris and Drummond perform together onstage in California with two other groups: their own band Tin Drum, formed in the 1990s, which has released three albums to date, and Bill Champlin's Wunderground, since 2018.[5][6]
References
edit- ^ "Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville :: Archived Articles: Barometer Soup". Margaritaville.com. n.d. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ "Musicians and Performers". Home.comcast.net. n.d. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ "Mary Harris & Burleigh Drummond of Ambrosia: The Gonzo Today Interview". May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Animal Logic Concert Set List". Animal.logic.freeservers.com. June 1, 1989. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ "Real World – Tin Drum | Credits". AllMusic. January 2, 1996. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ "Ambrosia duo still going strong in Thousand Oaks".
External links
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- Mary Harris sings “Surrender” with Tin Drum
- Mary Harris in Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band
- Mary Harris sings her composition "Honesty" with the 1980s all-female band Red Shoes
- Mary Harris performing live in Europe with Stewart Copeland and Stanley Clarke in the band Animal Logic
- Mary Harris and Burleigh Drummond interviewed by Gonzo Today in 2017