Keith Harris
Harris in the studio; 2010
Background information
BornChicago, Illinois, U.S.
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresHip hop, R&B, pop rock
Occupation(s)Record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
Instrument(s)Drums, keyboards
Years active2003–present
LabelsHarris Productions, A&M, Interscope, will.i.am

Keith Harris is an American record producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.[1][2]

Harris has worked with several popular recording and live acts in the music industry. Hits "Meet Me Halfway" and "Imma Be" by Black Eyed Peas, "It's My Birthday" by Will.i.am, "American Boy" by Estelle, "Feel Good" by Robin Thicke, "Can't Stop Won't Stop" by Usher, and "Gang Bang" by Madonna, and "Be Okay" and "Let's Rock" by Chrisette Michele are among the songs Harris has contributed to.

Early life

Harris was born and raised in Chicago's South Side. He began his music career playing with the city's New Friendship Missionary Baptist Church gospel choir.[3]

Recalling to Modern Drummer Magazine how he started: "Harris survived being thrown to the lions thanks in part to how he got his start behind the kit – playing drums in his church’s band. “I come from a Gospel background,” he explains. “Having to learn songs fast is part of the everyday life of a church musician doing Gospel music. A lot of times we would do concerts where there was no sheet music and we had thirteen songs in different styles. So just being able to absorb music quickly and keep it locked in is how I’ve learned to approach music.”[4]

"At Chicago’s Curie performing arts high school, Harris picked up more important tools of the trade, building his sight-reading chops, honing the keyboard and bass skills he’d picked up in church, mastering concert percussion, and performing blazing drum solos with the advanced jazz band and stage bands. After high school, Harris attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating with a degree in production and engineering. Armed with the skills and know-how to succeed on both sides of the music-making process, he relocated to New York to work as an engineer for Bad Boy Records hit maker Richard Younglord Frierson."[5]

Career

"Producer, songwriter and musician Keith Harris is the driving force behind many top 10 singles and Grammy Award winning hits. "Meet Me Halfway" and "Imma Be" by The Black Eyed Peas and Grammy winners "American Boy" by Estelle and "Be Okay" by Chrisette Michele are just a few. A Chicago native, Harris is best known for his drumming chops that round out the sounds of multi-platinum selling recording artists The Black Eyed Peas and Fergie. In addition, Harris' album credits read like a who's who of the music industry including Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown, Pussycat Dolls, Earth Wind and Fire, John Legend and many more."[6]

DRUM! Magazine says of Harris: "the hottest drummer in hip-hop.. pocket provider."[7]

"Harris produced three tracks on the Peas' smash CD The E.N.D., including the Top Ten hit "Meet Me Halfway," which went Number One on the UK Singles Chart, and "Ring-A-Ling.""Imma Be" is the third single from the Peas record-breaking The E.N.D. to hit Number One. He worked on Fergie's 2006 solo smash The Dutchess.[8]

In 2007 Harris released the album entitled "The Band Behind The Front" with Bucky Jonson on the BBE label.[9]

Filmography

Be Cool (2005)

Cast: Black Eyed Peas

La La Land (2016)

Cast: Cole

Discography

Fergie – Double Dutchess
Nicki Minaj – The Pinkprint
will.i.am – It's My Birthday
Goapele – Strong As Glass
Leah McFall – Name of the album TBA
Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines
Britney Spears – Britney Jean
will.i.am – #Willpower
Usher – Looking 4 Myself
Madonna – MDNA
The Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)

2010 Grammy Winner for Best Pop Album

Chrisette Michele – I Am

2009 Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance

Murs – Murs for President
Mariah Carey – E=MC2
Estelle – Shine

2009 Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Nominee for Song of The Year

Jully Black – Revival

2008 Juno Winner for Best R&B Album

Michael Jackson – Thriller 25
Chris Brown – Exclusive
Nicole Scherzinger – Her Name is Nicole
will.i.am – Songs About Girls
Busta Rhymes – The Big Bang
Fergie – The Dutchess
Kelis – Kelis Was Here
Mary J. Blige – The Breakthrough
The Black Eyed Peas – Monkey Business
Ginuwine – Back II da Basics
Sleepy Brown – Mr. Brown
Fergie – Poseidon Soundtrack
Bucky Jonson – The Band Behind The Front
God Made Me Funky – Enter the Beat

Musician credits

will.i.am
AIRPUSHERS
The Black Eyed Peas
Christina Aguilera
John Legend
Macy Gray
Earth, Wind and Fire
Mary J. Blige
Ginuwine
Sérgio Mendes
Ricky Martin
Busta Rhymes

Musical director

Touring

Press

Print

References

  1. ^ EurPublisher (April 11, 2013). "Grammy-winning Producer Keith Harris Shares How Prayer, Practice and Patience Led Him to the Black Eyed Peas". eurweb.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  2. ^ "Universal Music Publishing Group Signs GRAMMY-winning Keith Harris Co-writer/Co-producer of the No. 1 Single Black Eyed Peas 'Imma Be'". PRNewswire.com. March 2, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  3. ^ "Black Eyed Peas Keith Harris on ABC7". ABC News. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  4. ^ "Keith Harris with The Black Eyed Peas". ModernDrummer.com. May 12, 2004. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  5. ^ Styles, Stephen (December 17, 2010). "The Black Eyed Peas' Keith Harris". ModernDrummer.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  6. ^ "ARTISTS/WRITERS Keith Harris BIOGRAPHY". Universal Music Publishing Group. March 2, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  7. ^ Lentz, Andrew (July 2009). "Keith Harris: Soul In The Machine". DRUMmagazine.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  8. ^ "Black Eyed Peas Keith Harris on ABC7". ABC News. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  9. ^ "The Band Behind The Front". bbemusic.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
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