Harmonica Red and the New Heard
George R. Heard, a.k.a. Harmonica Red, a.k.a. George “Slim” Heard, is a virtuoso performer with more than thirty years experience on stage. Unlike many of his contemporary counterparts, his has not been a traditional musician’s experience. Throughout his extraordinary career, Red has never even once found himself experiencing extended periods of professional inactivity. Instead, he has been performing almost one non-stop gig since long before he was old enough to patronize some of the very clubs in which he played.
A native of Baton Rouge, LA., George graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Music, earning a Bachelors Degree specializing in Composition and Theory. With a genuine fascination and love of music, the harmonica found him at a very early age. When friend David Curtis saw the want-to-be musician struggling with instruments that were too big for his tiny hands, he instinctively knew that the harmonica was "just what the doctor ordered" for George. Within six months of playing every day for hours at a time, young George landed a spot in his first professional band (The Bottleneck Blues Band), playing weekends “across the Mississippi river,” in the wondrous and now legendary traditional all-black juke joints, well until the wee hours of the morning. Needless to say that although these appearance locations were most uncommon for the day, obviously young George's genius with his harmonicas was irrefutably worthy of the ears of even the most discriminating Connoisseurs of blues harp.
By the time he was barely 20, Red was touring and recording as a featured member of CBS recording artist and country legend David Allan Coe’s band. Later Red became a pivotal member of late blues legend Clarence Edwards’ band, garnering critical acclaim on several American and European tours with such notables as Albert King, Albert Collins and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Over the years, Red has been the recipient of many awards, including being a two-time winner of the Louisiana State Harmonica Championship and a two-time winner of the Baton Rouge Blues Festival “Hohner” Harmonica Award. While touring as a member of the San Jacinto Junior College Jazz Band, he was awarded the “Soloist Award” by the Mayor of Innsbruck, Austria, following a command performance at their Congress House. This 26-day European tour was an award in itself to Red, as the Shelton Berg led SJJC Jazz Band, of which Red was a pivotal member, also won the US National Big Band Jazz competition that year. The grand prize they received led to Red's ensemble opening for the Modern Jazz Quartet at the Montreaux Jazz Festival!
With the release of his first solo effort on the Sound of New Orleans label ["Harmonica Red: Volume 1"], Harmonica Red also became the harp player of choice for a number of Blues greats, including piano legend Henry Grey (Howlin’ Wolf/Little Walter). Splitting his time between the recording studio and the stage, he has worked with many of the international heavyweights of the music business, including such diverse artists as Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Little Feat, War, The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Meters, Chris Thomas King (motion picture soundtracks “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? “ & “Ray”), Robert Jr. Lockwood, Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Mickey Gilley, Selwyn Cooper, Johnny Paycheck, Slim Whitman, Zachary Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Musselwhite, The Neville Brothers, Dave Brubeck, The Radiators, The Marshall Tucker Band, Larry Garner, Wet Willie and of course, Big Al & the Heavyweights, among many others.
Whether blowing the top off of an intimate club or mesmerizing the masses from high atop the light tower of a festival stage, Red is always up front about being an entertaining musician and artist. Plainly, he is certainly not just another wimpy or sloppy harmonica player trying to imitate the sounds of “The Greats.” Instead Harmonica Red has crafted a brilliant sound and indisputable style all his very own. And from the very beginning, he worked tirelessly to define what that “Harmonica Red” sound would be. Of course that also meant that in the beginning, Red didn’t always get the ‘choice’ work but once other people “got it,” it wasn’t very long before he had established himself among the legends, well upon the road less traveled. As Red’s ["Harmonica Red: Volume 1"], Harmonica Red also became the harp player of choice for a number of Blues greats, including piano legend Henry Grey (Howlin’ Wolf/Little Walter). Splitting his time between the recording studio and the stage, he has worked with many of the international heavyweights of the music business, including such diverse artists as Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Little Feat, War, The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Meters, Chris Thomas King (motion picture soundtracks “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? “ & “Ray”), Robert Jr. Lockwood, Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Mickey Gilley, Johnny Paycheck, Slim Whitman, Zachary Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Musselwhite, The Neville Brothers, Dave Brubeck, The Radiators, The Marshall Tucker Band, Larry Garner, Wet Willie and of course, Big Al & the Heavyweights among many others. As Red's discography clearly shows, the "Harmonica" road is now exclusively his to command, as he continues to wow audiences all around the world!
Red didn’t even start his formal music education until he was 28 years old. After a series of accidents left him disabled and no longer able to tour as extensively as he once did, Red became the recipient of several scholarships to study music at both San Jacinto Jr. College and Louisiana State University. His senior music recital included an extraordinary array of original compositions- a woodwind trio, a solo piano piece in three movements, an electronic piece, a string quartet and an operetta which he is now developing into a full opera. Many of his compositions have been performed and recorded by other notable artists and he continues to compose classical music, along with other original songs and scores under the protection of his own publishing company, “Red Nut Music, LLC.”
Professional and real life training, combined with a genuine heart-felt passion for good music and good people, is what enables Red to move almost effortlessly from reggae to classical, to stone blues, to rock, to country, to world jazz and back, all without even the slightest hesitancy. Years of performing with and being around some of the best-known names in musical history have certainly left their impression on him but when pressed Red cite's the greatest influences on him as a musician and a person came from his work with the band “Little Feat” and the legendary Clarence Edwards, a fellow Louisiana native and incredibly gifted musician.
The consummate impresario requires the appropriate tools and Red’s gear is no exception to this rule. To deliver his signature sound, Red uses the Fender Blues DeVille amplifier, AKG d190 and d880 microphones, and a Boss Digital Delay pedal, all comprised to create one of the most powerful and unique harmonica rigs in the world. He also uses Lee Oskar harmonicas, exclusively endorsing them since 1985, while AKG microphones have also been his choice since 1977.
Today, Harmonica Red makes his home in Columbus, MS, commuting back and forth between there and Nashville, TN, where the band “Harmonica Red and the New Heard” is based. Red and his hardworking band maintain a relentless touring schedule that will have them on the road for more than 250 performances in the US and Canada this year alone!
Fans often ask Red how he ‘really’ gets that unique and extraordinary sound. Among many other factors, he has been known to stack his harmonicas on top of one another, “two or three at a time, sliding between them [to get] notes you can’t make on a single diatonic [harmonica]… He’s mastered every blow and draw, from slow, soulful wailing to lightening runs and jazzy chromatics.” (Wavelength Magazine). Perhaps this is what prompted the editor of Great Britain’s "Blues and Rhythm Magazine" to state, “When it comes to technique, however, one figure stands out. Harmonica Red is a completely original player, and to my ear, one of the top three harp players ever.” (The Houston Post) described Red as “a singular harp stylist, seamlessly blending his bluesy boiling wails inside a rockin’/jumpin’/shufflin’ gumbo.”
Boldly taking the harmonica to places others only dream of, Harmonica Red with every performance, guides listeners on an amazing musical journey, giving his audiences the kind of show that is rarely experienced beyond the confines of the mystical city of New Orleans' most notable venues. Attend one of his shows and prepare for a journey you won't soon forget! Experiencing Harmonica Red’s performance is akin to witnessing the cosmic fugue of an ethereal musical genius!
Official Website: Harmonica Red
Facebook: George Heard
Reverbnation: Harmonica Red and the New Heard Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
A native of Baton Rouge, LA., George graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Music, earning a Bachelors Degree specializing in Composition and Theory. With a genuine fascination and love of music, the harmonica found him at a very early age. When friend David Curtis saw the want-to-be musician struggling with instruments that were too big for his tiny hands, he instinctively knew that the harmonica was "just what the doctor ordered" for George. Within six months of playing every day for hours at a time, young George landed a spot in his first professional band (The Bottleneck Blues Band), playing weekends “across the Mississippi river,” in the wondrous and now legendary traditional all-black juke joints, well until the wee hours of the morning. Needless to say that although these appearance locations were most uncommon for the day, obviously young George's genius with his harmonicas was irrefutably worthy of the ears of even the most discriminating Connoisseurs of blues harp.
By the time he was barely 20, Red was touring and recording as a featured member of CBS recording artist and country legend David Allan Coe’s band. Later Red became a pivotal member of late blues legend Clarence Edwards’ band, garnering critical acclaim on several American and European tours with such notables as Albert King, Albert Collins and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Over the years, Red has been the recipient of many awards, including being a two-time winner of the Louisiana State Harmonica Championship and a two-time winner of the Baton Rouge Blues Festival “Hohner” Harmonica Award. While touring as a member of the San Jacinto Junior College Jazz Band, he was awarded the “Soloist Award” by the Mayor of Innsbruck, Austria, following a command performance at their Congress House. This 26-day European tour was an award in itself to Red, as the Shelton Berg led SJJC Jazz Band, of which Red was a pivotal member, also won the US National Big Band Jazz competition that year. The grand prize they received led to Red's ensemble opening for the Modern Jazz Quartet at the Montreaux Jazz Festival!
With the release of his first solo effort on the Sound of New Orleans label ["Harmonica Red: Volume 1"], Harmonica Red also became the harp player of choice for a number of Blues greats, including piano legend Henry Grey (Howlin’ Wolf/Little Walter). Splitting his time between the recording studio and the stage, he has worked with many of the international heavyweights of the music business, including such diverse artists as Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Little Feat, War, The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Meters, Chris Thomas King (motion picture soundtracks “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? “ & “Ray”), Robert Jr. Lockwood, Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Mickey Gilley, Selwyn Cooper, Johnny Paycheck, Slim Whitman, Zachary Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Musselwhite, The Neville Brothers, Dave Brubeck, The Radiators, The Marshall Tucker Band, Larry Garner, Wet Willie and of course, Big Al & the Heavyweights, among many others.
Whether blowing the top off of an intimate club or mesmerizing the masses from high atop the light tower of a festival stage, Red is always up front about being an entertaining musician and artist. Plainly, he is certainly not just another wimpy or sloppy harmonica player trying to imitate the sounds of “The Greats.” Instead Harmonica Red has crafted a brilliant sound and indisputable style all his very own. And from the very beginning, he worked tirelessly to define what that “Harmonica Red” sound would be. Of course that also meant that in the beginning, Red didn’t always get the ‘choice’ work but once other people “got it,” it wasn’t very long before he had established himself among the legends, well upon the road less traveled. As Red’s ["Harmonica Red: Volume 1"], Harmonica Red also became the harp player of choice for a number of Blues greats, including piano legend Henry Grey (Howlin’ Wolf/Little Walter). Splitting his time between the recording studio and the stage, he has worked with many of the international heavyweights of the music business, including such diverse artists as Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Little Feat, War, The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Meters, Chris Thomas King (motion picture soundtracks “Oh, Brother Where Art Thou? “ & “Ray”), Robert Jr. Lockwood, Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Mickey Gilley, Johnny Paycheck, Slim Whitman, Zachary Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Musselwhite, The Neville Brothers, Dave Brubeck, The Radiators, The Marshall Tucker Band, Larry Garner, Wet Willie and of course, Big Al & the Heavyweights among many others. As Red's discography clearly shows, the "Harmonica" road is now exclusively his to command, as he continues to wow audiences all around the world!
Red didn’t even start his formal music education until he was 28 years old. After a series of accidents left him disabled and no longer able to tour as extensively as he once did, Red became the recipient of several scholarships to study music at both San Jacinto Jr. College and Louisiana State University. His senior music recital included an extraordinary array of original compositions- a woodwind trio, a solo piano piece in three movements, an electronic piece, a string quartet and an operetta which he is now developing into a full opera. Many of his compositions have been performed and recorded by other notable artists and he continues to compose classical music, along with other original songs and scores under the protection of his own publishing company, “Red Nut Music, LLC.”
Professional and real life training, combined with a genuine heart-felt passion for good music and good people, is what enables Red to move almost effortlessly from reggae to classical, to stone blues, to rock, to country, to world jazz and back, all without even the slightest hesitancy. Years of performing with and being around some of the best-known names in musical history have certainly left their impression on him but when pressed Red cite's the greatest influences on him as a musician and a person came from his work with the band “Little Feat” and the legendary Clarence Edwards, a fellow Louisiana native and incredibly gifted musician.
The consummate impresario requires the appropriate tools and Red’s gear is no exception to this rule. To deliver his signature sound, Red uses the Fender Blues DeVille amplifier, AKG d190 and d880 microphones, and a Boss Digital Delay pedal, all comprised to create one of the most powerful and unique harmonica rigs in the world. He also uses Lee Oskar harmonicas, exclusively endorsing them since 1985, while AKG microphones have also been his choice since 1977.
Today, Harmonica Red makes his home in Columbus, MS, commuting back and forth between there and Nashville, TN, where the band “Harmonica Red and the New Heard” is based. Red and his hardworking band maintain a relentless touring schedule that will have them on the road for more than 250 performances in the US and Canada this year alone!
Fans often ask Red how he ‘really’ gets that unique and extraordinary sound. Among many other factors, he has been known to stack his harmonicas on top of one another, “two or three at a time, sliding between them [to get] notes you can’t make on a single diatonic [harmonica]… He’s mastered every blow and draw, from slow, soulful wailing to lightening runs and jazzy chromatics.” (Wavelength Magazine). Perhaps this is what prompted the editor of Great Britain’s "Blues and Rhythm Magazine" to state, “When it comes to technique, however, one figure stands out. Harmonica Red is a completely original player, and to my ear, one of the top three harp players ever.” (The Houston Post) described Red as “a singular harp stylist, seamlessly blending his bluesy boiling wails inside a rockin’/jumpin’/shufflin’ gumbo.”
Boldly taking the harmonica to places others only dream of, Harmonica Red with every performance, guides listeners on an amazing musical journey, giving his audiences the kind of show that is rarely experienced beyond the confines of the mystical city of New Orleans' most notable venues. Attend one of his shows and prepare for a journey you won't soon forget! Experiencing Harmonica Red’s performance is akin to witnessing the cosmic fugue of an ethereal musical genius!
Official Website: Harmonica Red
Facebook: George Heard
Reverbnation: Harmonica Red and the New Heard Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Harmonica Red and the New Heard lyrics
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