Blues Search Engine: Zac Harmon

Zac Harmon is returning to his roots after several decades expressing an unbiased love for music. Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Harmon is a disciple of the Farish Street blues sound. (Farish Street is universally recognized as the home of many great blues legends including the late, great Elmore James). During the 50’s and 60’s Harmon hung out at his father’s pharmacy on Farish (first African-American pharmacy in Jackson), soaking up the aura and sounds of the musician customers while developing his skills as a guitarist, organist and vocalist. Like many he honed those skills while at church. Harmon’s early years included stints as guitarist for Z.Z Hill, Dorothy Moore, McKinley Mitchell and Sam Myers. Sam along with Jesse Robinson and Mel Brown played a significant role in Harmon’s development guiding his progress through the rifts of rock ‘n roll to the true blues. At the age of 16 he was teaching guitar at the local YMCA, instructing young men such as Eddie Cotton to play church music. Family demands and his own commitment to pursue an education meant replacing music for college. However once completed he couldn’t stay away from his calling. Moving to Los Angeles in 1980 to pursue a career in music, Harmon worked as a studio musician and began to make a name for himself as a writer/producer, crafting songs for such varied notables as Karyn White, Freddie Jackson, Evelyn "Champagne" King, The Whispers, Cherrelle, K.C. & Jo Jo, The Mississippi Mass Choir and Children’s Choir, Alexander O’Neal and the O’Jays. He produced songs on the Mystical Truth album for Black Uhuru that received a Grammy nomination in 1994. Later, while composing songs for a movie score and performing those songs in the studio, Harmon decided to pursue his longtime dream of recording his first blues project. The result, Live at Babe & Ricky's Inn, (2002 Another Production Company) was an electrifying testimonial to the blues, featuring eight totally original songs that truly embodies the Mississippi blues sound. Sponsored by the Southern California Blues Society of Los Angeles, Harmon and the Mid South Blues Revue went on to win The Blues Foundation’s 2004 International Blues Challenge as "best unsigned blues band". Since then there’s been no looking back with the release of the latest CD, "The Blues According to Zacariah", appearances at US festivals, signing to a booking agent and international tours to Canada and France. Harmon is a man on a mission and he’s here to stay. (quoted from Zac Harmon's official website)