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EARL YOUNG
EARL YOUNG
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Norman Ray Harris, October 14th 1947 - March 20th 1987, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
He was the cousin of Major Harris and his niece is the singer Liz Hogue.
In her interview with Maria Granditsky, Barbra Mason talks about her late friend Norman Harris,,
Yes, Norman was wonderful, Maria. You will see his name on a lot of my recordings. As I said, he died much too young.
He was thirty-nine years old. He had a massive heart attack and it seems that Philadelphia has lost so many of its
great people. I'm really the last and only female vocalist that wrote and sang her own songs left in the Philadelphia
area. In Philadelphia, there was no other songwriter black or white, that did what I did. Linda Creed, who wrote with
Thom Bell, she did not sing, she only wrote songs. And Patti LaBelle does not always write and sing her songs.
If she does, she hasn't written as many as I have.
How about the other prominent Philadelphia musicians that played on your records? Is Earl Young deceased?
No, Earl is living, I just saw Earl. But Norman is dead and Ronnie Baker is dead. They were part of M.F.S.B. I never had brothers and I just considered these guys
family. Ronnie died, probably something like six years ago. He had cancer of the brain. He wasn't that old, he was just in his early fifties. Norman, of course, was
younger, he was just 39 when he died. Norman was born with a bad heart, he always had heart problems. One night, he had a massive, massive heart attack. In
fact, he died on his daughter's birthday. I'll never forget it. It was the twenty-third of March 1987 and I got a phone call that Norman had died. Maria, I was
devastated because Norman had known me since I was twelve years old. Norman knew me before I met Weldon McDougal and Jimmy Bishop. He and I used to do
talent shows together around the neighborhood. My grandparents lived in the same part of the city as Norman's family, which is west of Philadelphia, so when I
would go to visit my grandparents, I would get a chance to see Norman. We were just kids. We had no idea that one day we would become who we became. When
we became famous, we would sit back, talk and laugh about it. I'd say "Norman did you ever think that we'd be famous and that people all over the world would
know our names?" And Norman, he had a nickname for me, which Jimmy Bishop gave me. He used to call me "Babs". So Norman said "Babs, I was going to get
married, have kids, I never dreamed of this. I was just messing around with the guitar". I look at the great things he did outside of the things he did with me; he was
also a producer of the Trammps, with "Disco Inferno", which was a huge success, he produced a group called First Choice.. You know, he did numerous
wonderful things..
Right! First Choice were on Gold Mind, Norman's Salsoul-distributed label..
Yes! He called me up and said "I've got an office". I said "get out of here, where is it?". It was in what we call the downtown section of Philadelphia. Norman said "I
want you to come down and see it". So I got dressed, I went downtown and came to his office. Now, Norman was a short, little person. He was not a big person in
stature. He was very small and I said "look at you, with your little, small self, sitting behind this big desk. I guess you think you're a big deal, don't you?". He said
"of course I'm a big deal. Aren't you my friend? Aren't we family?". I said "Norman, I love you as I love any member of my family and I wish you the greatest
success with your label."
How did Gold Mind do? Was it as successful as you had hoped?
It didn't do that well. I don't know how many hits he had on it, but I do know that Mr. Gamble helped to get Norman in business with the label. Ken Cayre over at
Salsoul records and Norman became friends and Ken arranged for Salsoul to distribute Gold Mind. Ken decided to invest in Norman, which was a great thing. I
saw Ken Cayre about, say three years ago, when they honored Baker, Harris and Young. Here in Philadelphia, there is a big organization, I can't think of the
name right now, but they honor a lot of Philly people. They put your name in a star on the street, same as they do in Hollywood. So they put Baker, Harris and
Young's names downtown and I went to the event for them. Norman's family was there, his son was there, a lot of his brothers and sisters were there. Earl Young
was there. Of course Ronnie Baker had died as well, but his family and his children were there. I cried that night because I went all the way back to when we were
children. I thought "My God, Norman, wherever you are, I told you that you would be great. And I felt so blessed to be able to be there and be a part of it, watching
them honor Norman.
Baker-Harris-Young's production company worked with so many great artists.. Not only Earl Young's The Trammps and First Choice, but Loleatta
Holloway, the Temptations, Double Exposure.. They even made a record in their own name which I really like.
Baker-Harris-Young (LP, 1979). Earl Young, Ron Baker, Norman Harris.-Baker-Harris-Young. I remember when Norman called me about that too. He said "I'm
gonna form this production company called Baker-Harris-Young". I was always teasing him so I said "What kinda name is that? It sounds like a lawyer's office.
What are you trying to be? A lawyer?" (laughs). Norman said "no, I'm a musician". I said "Norman, I know what you are. Why are you calling it
Baker-Harris-Young?" Norman said "doesn't it sound real important?" and I replied "you'll never be important". I would always kid with him like that. I loved him, he
was like the brother I never had. That's why when I ran into financial troubles, I knew I could go to him. I knew that whatever I needed, he would take care of me.
When he died, it really, really, devastated me terribly. I listen to Norman and myself on record sometime and I say "God, Norman.. You left too soon." Those things
are not in our hands. I appreciate God giving Norman to me for a little while. We had a really good life together.
He was the cousin of Major Harris and his niece is the singer Liz Hogue.
In her interview with Maria Granditsky, Barbra Mason talks about her late friend Norman Harris,,
Yes, Norman was wonderful, Maria. You will see his name on a lot of my recordings. As I said, he died much too young.
He was thirty-nine years old. He had a massive heart attack and it seems that Philadelphia has lost so many of its
great people. I'm really the last and only female vocalist that wrote and sang her own songs left in the Philadelphia
area. In Philadelphia, there was no other songwriter black or white, that did what I did. Linda Creed, who wrote with
Thom Bell, she did not sing, she only wrote songs. And Patti LaBelle does not always write and sing her songs.
If she does, she hasn't written as many as I have.
How about the other prominent Philadelphia musicians that played on your records? Is Earl Young deceased?
No, Earl is living, I just saw Earl. But Norman is dead and Ronnie Baker is dead. They were part of M.F.S.B. I never had brothers and I just considered these guys
family. Ronnie died, probably something like six years ago. He had cancer of the brain. He wasn't that old, he was just in his early fifties. Norman, of course, was
younger, he was just 39 when he died. Norman was born with a bad heart, he always had heart problems. One night, he had a massive, massive heart attack. In
fact, he died on his daughter's birthday. I'll never forget it. It was the twenty-third of March 1987 and I got a phone call that Norman had died. Maria, I was
devastated because Norman had known me since I was twelve years old. Norman knew me before I met Weldon McDougal and Jimmy Bishop. He and I used to do
talent shows together around the neighborhood. My grandparents lived in the same part of the city as Norman's family, which is west of Philadelphia, so when I
would go to visit my grandparents, I would get a chance to see Norman. We were just kids. We had no idea that one day we would become who we became. When
we became famous, we would sit back, talk and laugh about it. I'd say "Norman did you ever think that we'd be famous and that people all over the world would
know our names?" And Norman, he had a nickname for me, which Jimmy Bishop gave me. He used to call me "Babs". So Norman said "Babs, I was going to get
married, have kids, I never dreamed of this. I was just messing around with the guitar". I look at the great things he did outside of the things he did with me; he was
also a producer of the Trammps, with "Disco Inferno", which was a huge success, he produced a group called First Choice.. You know, he did numerous
wonderful things..
Right! First Choice were on Gold Mind, Norman's Salsoul-distributed label..
Yes! He called me up and said "I've got an office". I said "get out of here, where is it?". It was in what we call the downtown section of Philadelphia. Norman said "I
want you to come down and see it". So I got dressed, I went downtown and came to his office. Now, Norman was a short, little person. He was not a big person in
stature. He was very small and I said "look at you, with your little, small self, sitting behind this big desk. I guess you think you're a big deal, don't you?". He said
"of course I'm a big deal. Aren't you my friend? Aren't we family?". I said "Norman, I love you as I love any member of my family and I wish you the greatest
success with your label."
How did Gold Mind do? Was it as successful as you had hoped?
It didn't do that well. I don't know how many hits he had on it, but I do know that Mr. Gamble helped to get Norman in business with the label. Ken Cayre over at
Salsoul records and Norman became friends and Ken arranged for Salsoul to distribute Gold Mind. Ken decided to invest in Norman, which was a great thing. I
saw Ken Cayre about, say three years ago, when they honored Baker, Harris and Young. Here in Philadelphia, there is a big organization, I can't think of the
name right now, but they honor a lot of Philly people. They put your name in a star on the street, same as they do in Hollywood. So they put Baker, Harris and
Young's names downtown and I went to the event for them. Norman's family was there, his son was there, a lot of his brothers and sisters were there. Earl Young
was there. Of course Ronnie Baker had died as well, but his family and his children were there. I cried that night because I went all the way back to when we were
children. I thought "My God, Norman, wherever you are, I told you that you would be great. And I felt so blessed to be able to be there and be a part of it, watching
them honor Norman.
Baker-Harris-Young's production company worked with so many great artists.. Not only Earl Young's The Trammps and First Choice, but Loleatta
Holloway, the Temptations, Double Exposure.. They even made a record in their own name which I really like.
Baker-Harris-Young (LP, 1979). Earl Young, Ron Baker, Norman Harris.-Baker-Harris-Young. I remember when Norman called me about that too. He said "I'm
gonna form this production company called Baker-Harris-Young". I was always teasing him so I said "What kinda name is that? It sounds like a lawyer's office.
What are you trying to be? A lawyer?" (laughs). Norman said "no, I'm a musician". I said "Norman, I know what you are. Why are you calling it
Baker-Harris-Young?" Norman said "doesn't it sound real important?" and I replied "you'll never be important". I would always kid with him like that. I loved him, he
was like the brother I never had. That's why when I ran into financial troubles, I knew I could go to him. I knew that whatever I needed, he would take care of me.
When he died, it really, really, devastated me terribly. I listen to Norman and myself on record sometime and I say "God, Norman.. You left too soon." Those things
are not in our hands. I appreciate God giving Norman to me for a little while. We had a really good life together.
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Listen to this play list of Norman first and last recording of himself titled,"THE HARRIS MACHINE!
Produced by of course, Norman Harris!
He's was right up there with Kenny, Leon and Thom when it came to producing hot Philly music!
Produced by of course, Norman Harris!
He's was right up there with Kenny, Leon and Thom when it came to producing hot Philly music!
Norman produced hits on First Choice, Eddie Holman, the Salsoul Orchestra, and
Love Committee for Salsoul Records, as well as the Trammps.
Norman also had hits with Gloria Gaynor ('Honey Bee'), the Delfonics ('La La Means I Love
You,' 'Didn't I Blow Your Mind'), Jerry Butler ('Hey Western Union Man,' 'Only the Strong
Survive'), The Trammps (Disco Inferno'), Blue Magic ('Sideshow'), Wilson Pickett ('Engine
Number 9,' 'Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You'), Loleatta Holloway ('Hit and Run'), Joe
Simon ( 'Drowning in the Sea of Love,' 'Power of Love'), and the Spinners ('I'll Be Around,'
'Could It Be I'm Falling in Love').
He also worked alongside Allan Felder and Bunny Sigler ('Keep Smilin'). Norman began his
own Salsoul-distributed Gold Mind label in 1979.Here he signed First Choice. Norman also
became a recording artist, recording as 'The Harris Machine' in 1980.
Love Committee for Salsoul Records, as well as the Trammps.
Norman also had hits with Gloria Gaynor ('Honey Bee'), the Delfonics ('La La Means I Love
You,' 'Didn't I Blow Your Mind'), Jerry Butler ('Hey Western Union Man,' 'Only the Strong
Survive'), The Trammps (Disco Inferno'), Blue Magic ('Sideshow'), Wilson Pickett ('Engine
Number 9,' 'Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You'), Loleatta Holloway ('Hit and Run'), Joe
Simon ( 'Drowning in the Sea of Love,' 'Power of Love'), and the Spinners ('I'll Be Around,'
'Could It Be I'm Falling in Love').
He also worked alongside Allan Felder and Bunny Sigler ('Keep Smilin'). Norman began his
own Salsoul-distributed Gold Mind label in 1979.Here he signed First Choice. Norman also
became a recording artist, recording as 'The Harris Machine' in 1980.
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