Biography

Harrell was from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 and released several singles in the 1960s and 1970s. He also goes by the name Keidar Syenon Harrell. He co-wrote songs with J. R. Bailey

J. R. Bailey

- Biography :J. R. had been a member of doo wop groups The Halos, The Cadillacs, and The Crickets , and also recorded as a solo artist...

 (a former member of The Cadillacs

The Cadillacs

The Cadillacs were an American rock and roll and doo-wop group from Harlem, New York; active from 1953 to 1962. The group was noted for their 1955 hit "Speedoo", which was instrumental in attracting White audiences to Black rock and roll performers.-History:...

 and writer of "Everybody Plays the Fool

Everybody Plays the Fool

"Everybody Plays the Fool" is the title of a popular song written by J.R. Bailey, Rudy Clark and Ken Williams. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best R&B Song at the 1973 ceremony....

" by The Main Ingredient). Several songs penned by the two include "Soul Shing-A-Ling" and "Seven Days Too Long" by Chuck Wood in 1966, "Sweet, Sweet Lovin'" by The Platters

The Platters

The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...

 in 1967, and "Lonely Singer" by Kurtis Scott. Both sides of another New York single by Forest Hairston "Go On And Tell" b/w "No Second Chance" on Viney Records was co-written by Harrell with Doris Horne.

Harrell replaced Billy Guy

Billy Guy

-Biography:Billy Guy is best known as a member of The Coasters, singing lead on such hits as "Searchin'," "Little Egypt," "Run Red Run," "Wait A Minute," among others. Before Guy joined The Coasters in 1955, he was part of a comedy singing duo called "Bip and Bop." One single called "Ding Ding...

 in the 1960s as a member of The Coasters

The Coasters

The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group that had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and "Young Blood", their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing team of Leiber and Stoller...

, while Guy was busy working on a solo career. After 1969, singer Jimmy Norman

Jimmy Norman

Jimmy Norman was an American rhythm and blues and jazz musician and a songwriter. In his early career, Norman had a charting single of his own, "I Don't Love You No More ", as well as performing session work with Jimi Hendrix, but he is better known as a lyricist and songwriter...

 replaced Harrell as the regular substitute for Billy Guy. Harrell never recorded with The Coasters, he only performed on stage
. One song Harrell recorded called "Do It To It" on Calla Records has the same backing track that was used on The Coasters' recording of "Lovey Dovey." Other versions of "Do It To It" by The Sandpebbles and Tony Fox, both released on Calla Records in 1968, supposedly also have the same backing track.

Harrell released two records in 1971, one called "Muhammed Ali" on Brunswick Records

Brunswick Records

Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...

, about the famous boxer Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...

, and another one on United Artists Records

United Artists Records

United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...

.

He has also written songs under the names Keidar Syeon and Keidar Syenon, co-writing a few under the name with J. R. Bailey. In 1965, he co-wrote the song "Daisy Daisy" with Sol Meshel and J. R. Bailey under the name Keidar Syenon Harrell. He released a record for Capitol Records

Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

 in 1972 under the name of Keidar Syeon. The songs were "Unchain My Heart

Unchain My Heart (song)

"Unchain My Heart" is a song written by Bobby Sharp and recorded first in 1961 by Ray Charles and in 1963 by Trini Lopez and later by many others. Sharp, a drug addict at the time, sold the song to Teddy Powell for $50. Powell demanded half the songwriting credit. Sharp later successfully fought...

" (originally recorded by Ray Charles

Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...

 in 1961) and Van Morrison

Van Morrison

Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...

's "Brown Eyed Girl

Brown Eyed Girl

"Brown Eyed Girl" is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967 on the album Blowin' Your Mind!. When released as a single, it rose to number eight on the...

."

Singles

• Slick Chick/Beg Borrow And Steal (Lescay #3003) (1962)
• Nobody But Nobody/Such A Lonely Guy (Ascot #2144) (1963)
• Do Unto Others/Little Joe (Beltone #2031) (1963) (as Vernon Harrel)
• I Had A Dream My Record Was Number One/Beg Borrow And Steal (Beltone #2038) (1960s)
• Baby Don’tcha Worry/All That’s Good (Decca #31721) (1964) (as Vernon Harrell and Little Gigi)
• Your Love/Daisy Daisy (Score #1008) (1966)
• If This Ain’t Love (Ain't No Cows In Texas)/A Man Has Got To Cry Sometime (Score #1010) (1966)
• Do It To It/Can’t Take The Hurt (Calla #136) (1969)
• Title Unknown (United Artists) (1971)
• Muhammed Ali (Stereo)/Muhammed Ali (Mono) (Brunswick #55448) (1971) (as Verne Harrell)
• Brown Eyed Girl/Unchain My Heart (Capitol #3377) (1972) (as Keidar Syeon)
• Slick Chick/Holding A Dream (Side B by Gene Latter) (RNB #007) (2004)

Various artists compilations

• Hits & Misses: Muhammad Ali & The Ultimate Sound Of Fist Fighting (Trikont) (2005)

External links

• The Coasters Members' Mini Bios
• [ Allmusic]
• BMI Catalog