Chris Harford
Encyclopedia
Chris Harford is a self-taught American singer, songwriter
, guitarist
and painter. The New Yorker
described him as "...A singer, guitarist, and songwriter who rose through the local club scene in the nineteen-eighties, Harford operates in the free zone outside rock's usual categories. He has a foot in country, a hand in seventies rock, a toe in folk, a finger in post-punk. With his gruff but plaintive voice and his fondness for muddied-up guitars, he sometimes recalls Neil Young...". And according to National Public Radio, his music "has been described as 'beautiful, heart-rending and soulful,' as well as 'dark, rocking and dangerous'".
Harford's backing band, The Band of Changes, is a revolving door concept which has included notable musicians such as Kevin Salem, Jane Scarpantoni
, members of Ween
, Scott Metzger
, Robert Seahag Mangano, Joe Russo
, Eric Slick, Richard Thompson
, and Michael Hampton
.
Harford grew up in New Jersey
and attended Princeton High School
. He then attended Connecticut College
before transferring to Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
In the early 1980s Harford was a member of the Boston based band Three Colors that included Hub Moore, whose major label debut on Slash/London Records Harford produced in 1996; and saxophonist Dana Colley
, who went on to be a member of the band Morphine
.
In 1992, as Chris Harford and the First Rays of the New Rising Sun, he released Be Headed on Elektra Records
. Subsequently, he released eight albums independently, Comet, Band of Changes, Wake, Live at CBGB's, Sing, Breathe, & Be Merry, Time Warp Deck; and Looking Out For Number 6, produced by Dean Ween.
Harford's paintings were first shown at New York City's famed rock club, CBGB
's. He has since had over 20 exhibits at galleries including Salt Philadelphia, and Gerald Peters
New York City
.
Harford has coached college and high school lacrosse at Princeton High School
Princeton, NJ; Hendrix College
Conway, AR; and Ransom Everglades
Miami, FL.
In 2006 he interned at Michel-Schlumberger Wines in Sonoma County, CA under the tutelage of vintners Mike Brunson and Tony Wascowicz
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and painter. The New Yorker
New Yorker
New Yorker may refer to:* A resident of New York City * A resident of New York state * The New Yorker, a magazine* A predecessor newspaper to Horace Greeley's New York Tribune...
described him as "...A singer, guitarist, and songwriter who rose through the local club scene in the nineteen-eighties, Harford operates in the free zone outside rock's usual categories. He has a foot in country, a hand in seventies rock, a toe in folk, a finger in post-punk. With his gruff but plaintive voice and his fondness for muddied-up guitars, he sometimes recalls Neil Young...". And according to National Public Radio, his music "has been described as 'beautiful, heart-rending and soulful,' as well as 'dark, rocking and dangerous'".
Harford's backing band, The Band of Changes, is a revolving door concept which has included notable musicians such as Kevin Salem, Jane Scarpantoni
Jane Scarpantoni
Jane Scarpantoni is a classically trained cello player who has played on a number of alternative rock albums.She was a member of Hoboken, New Jersey's Tiny Lights in the mid-'80s, then went on to play with other musicians especially those associated with the Hoboken underground rock scene of the...
, members of Ween
Ween
Ween is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
, Scott Metzger
Scott Metzger
Scott Metzger is an American guitarist.-Biography:Scott Metzger is a Brooklyn, New York based guitarist...
, Robert Seahag Mangano, Joe Russo
Joe Russo
Joe Russo may refer to:*Joe Russo , American film and television director*Joe Russo , American jazz/rock drummer*Joe Russo , American racecar driver active in the 1930s...
, Eric Slick, Richard Thompson
Richard Thompson
Richard John Thompson OBE is a British songwriter, guitarist and recording and performing musician. Highly regarded for his guitar techniques, Thompson was awarded the Orville H. Gibson award for best acoustic guitar player in 1991...
, and Michael Hampton
Michael Hampton
Michael Hampton is a funk/rock guitarist. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
.
Harford grew up in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and attended Princeton High School
Princeton High School (New Jersey)
Princeton High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Princeton Regional Schools district, which serves all public school students in the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township...
. He then attended Connecticut College
Connecticut College
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...
before transferring to Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
In the early 1980s Harford was a member of the Boston based band Three Colors that included Hub Moore, whose major label debut on Slash/London Records Harford produced in 1996; and saxophonist Dana Colley
Dana Colley
Dana Colley is an American musician, best known as the baritone and tenor saxophonist in the alternative rock band Morphine.-with Three Colors :...
, who went on to be a member of the band Morphine
Morphine (band)
Morphine was an American alternative rock group formed by Mark Sandman and Dana Colley in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1989. They disbanded in 1999 after frontman Sandman died of a heart attack....
.
In 1992, as Chris Harford and the First Rays of the New Rising Sun, he released Be Headed on Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
. Subsequently, he released eight albums independently, Comet, Band of Changes, Wake, Live at CBGB's, Sing, Breathe, & Be Merry, Time Warp Deck; and Looking Out For Number 6, produced by Dean Ween.
Harford's paintings were first shown at New York City's famed rock club, CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
's. He has since had over 20 exhibits at galleries including Salt Philadelphia, and Gerald Peters
Gerald Peters
Gerald Peters was a British film actor living in Marina Del Rey and working in the Hollywood film industry.He was the owner of London Towne Livery Service Ltd. in Beverly Hills. His silent partner and most important client was Elvis Presley. Gerald was the only one who Elvis permitted to drive him...
New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Harford has coached college and high school lacrosse at Princeton High School
Princeton High School
Princeton High School may refer to:*Princeton High School in Princeton, Illinois*Princeton Community High School in Princeton, Indiana*Princeton High School in Princeton, Minnesota...
Princeton, NJ; Hendrix College
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college located in Conway, Arkansas. The student body averages around 1,400 and currently represents forty-three states and fourteen foreign countries. In US News and World Report's America's Best Colleges, Hendrix is ranked annually in the top tier of...
Conway, AR; and Ransom Everglades
Ransom Everglades
Ransom Everglades is an independent, non-profit, co-educational, college-preparatory day school serving grades six to twelve in Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida. It formed with the merger in 1974 of the Everglades School for Girls and the Ransom School for Boys...
Miami, FL.
In 2006 he interned at Michel-Schlumberger Wines in Sonoma County, CA under the tutelage of vintners Mike Brunson and Tony Wascowicz