One of the most popular and powerful singers to contribute to the birth of 1940s rhythm & blues, Wynonie Harris achieved his greatest hits by rocking long and hard or by making his listeners laugh the same way. His two No. 1 hits were the Roy Brown-penned Good Rockin’ Tonight and All She Wants to Do is Rock, while other chart records were often in a comic novelty vein. But his nickname was ‘Mr. Blues,’ and a blues powerhouse he was, as well as a humorist, showman, and ‘a profane and raucous individual’ in the words of his lifelong friend Preston Love. Many of his 1946-52 hits for Apollo and King Records were recorded with top-flight jazz accompanists. Harris recorded sporadically afterwards but never again enjoyed the glory or success he’d known as one of the kings of jump blues. Today he is most acknowledged for laying the groundwork for rock ‘n’ roll. Harris began his career as a dancer in Omaha, where he grew up. Omaha is cited as his birthplace in his bios (Aug. 24, 1915) but the 1920 census of the family in Omaha gives an Iowa birthplace and suggests an earlier birthdate (c. 1913). Harris died in Los Angeles on June 14, 1969.
— Jim O’Neal
www.stackhouse-bluesoterica.blogspot.com
(Revised from O’Neal’s entry in the first edition of The All Music Guide.)