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Ted
Harris
Favorite
song: "'The Fool I've Been Today'--I think it best defines
'songwriting' as an art among my songs; Favorite cut: Bobby Wright's
'Here I Go Again' produced by Owen Bradley--it demonstrates in the
most absolute fashion emotionally, what I tried to write into the song.
Reflections:
I've spent my occupational life doing what I wanted to do and with
the good Lord's help, made a living at it for thirty years now. It
simply doesn't get any better than that!! Secondly, as a saved man, I
hurt for all my friends and peers who live without direction and get
lost in a sea of drugs, bad emotions, and booze. I wish I could give
them all the good Lord and the best manual and road map for this
life...the Good Book! (incidentally, there's a good song (psalm)
writer in there named 'David.'. Cheers."
Birth
Name: Theodore Clifford Harris
Induction
Year: 1980
Date
of Birth: 8/2/1937
Place
of Birth: Lakeland, FL
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Former Occupations:
shoeshine
boy
theater
usher
worked
a newspaper route
circulation
district manager for newspaper
grocery
salesman
shoe
salesman |
Education:
Grade
School--John F. Cox Elementary (from 1943-1948)
Grade
School--Lakeland Jr. High School (from 1949-1951)
High
School--Lakeland Sr. High School (from 1952-1955) |
Career Milestones:
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1958--left
home in Lakeland, Florida for Nashville on June 11 |
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1958--first
songs placed on June 25; contracted 7 songs to Silver Star Music
Publishing Co. (owned by Hank Snow); dealt with Joe Talbot and Ted Daffan |
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1958--signed
first major recording contract in August as an artist with RCA
Victor Records |
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1958--first
song recorded in September, "My Lucky Friend" by Hank
Snow; eventually became "B" side single and album cut |
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1959--first
top 10 record in Billboard, "Chasin' a Rainbow" by Hank
Snow; went to #6 on June 1 |
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1960--signed
to Columbia Records as recording artist in April |
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1965--formed
first music publishing business, Harbot Music Publishing Co., with
Joe Talbot on April 1 |
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1965--first
Grammy nomination for "Crystal Chandelier" (recorded by
Carl Belew ) |
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1966--signed
with Mercury Records as recording artist on January 17 |
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1972--received
a record number of 17 SESAC writer & publisher awards |
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1976--first
#1 record on Cashbox chart, "The Happiness of Having You"
recorded by Charley Pride |
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1987--Glen
Campbell performed "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" for
President & Mrs. Ronald Reagan at Ford's Theatre in Washington,
D.C. in June |
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1987--28th
week that "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" remained on the
Billboard Singles chart (approx. 7 months) |
Awards:
1969--SESAC\Country
Music Writer of the Year
1970--NSAI\Outstanding
Achievement Award\You and Me Against the World
1970--SESAC\Country
Music Writer of the Year
1971--SESAC\Country
Music Writer of the Year
1972--SESAC\Country
Music Writer of the Year
1972--NSAI\Outstanding
Achievement Award\Here I Go Again
1976--SESAC\Country
Music Writer of the Year
1976--SESAC\Country
Single of the Year\The Happiness of Having You
1977--SESAC\Hall
of Fame Award\Crystal Chandelier
1980--SESAC\International
Award\Crystal Chandelier\selected in a nationwide Great Britain poll
as "All Time Favorite Country Music Recording Ever" (BBC Radio-2)
1987--SESAC\National
Television Performance Activity Award\The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
1987--SESAC\Country
Music Writer of the Year
1988--NSAI\Special
Achievement Award\The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Catalog
Highlights
Chasing
a Rainbow
Crystal
Chandelier
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Artists:
Carl Belew (1965), Charley Pride (1967), Vic Dana (1965), Floyd
Cramer, Louis Armstrong
Rainbows
and Roses
Paper
Mansions
Once
The
True and Lasting Kind
You
and Me Against the World
Here
I Go Again
The
One You Say Good Mornin' To
The
Fool I've Been Today
The
Happiness of Havin' You
The
Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Comments:
On
10/14/1971, Harris was elected to the Board of Directors of the
Country Music Association representing composers
Received
87 SESAC performance awards |