Remembering Prolific Keyboardist Paul Harris, Who Died in October
by Mark Brown
Musician Paul Harris during his time with the Souther Hillman Furay Band in 1974 (Photo © Henry Diltz; used with permission)
You’ve heard the musician Paul Harris play keyboards; you just didn’t know it. That’s his signature piano style on the intro to Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind,” along with the lilting piano solo that occurs at 2:36 in the song. His outro combines piano and organ, and underscores the harmonies of Seger and Eagle Glenn Frey. That’s also his bluesy electric piano work on the B.B. King classic “The Thrill is Gone,” as producer Bill Szymczyk used Harris every chance he got.
Harris died October 24, 2023, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., after a long health decline. He was 78, according to his son, Josh Harris.
“Paul Harris was a lovely, lovely guy. Immensely talented and creative, he was a really sweet person that we all loved. He shares our legacy. Rest easy, Paul,” posted Stephen Stills on Twitter.
“To me, Paul was the Nicky Hopkins of America,” Szymczyk said, referring to the keyboard player who worked with everyone from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck and the Who.
“Have you seen his discography?” said bassist Kenny Passarelli. “My recollection of Paul Harris is a simply brilliant keyboard player who could tackle anything. He’s one of the most esteemed musicians of our generation.” (For a partial discography, go here.)
Listen to Harris’ bluesy electric piano work on this classic recording
Internet searches show that Harris was associated with the band King Harvest, but neither friends nor family could confirm if that is his playing on the signature intro to “Dancing in the Moonlight.” The only bands he joined as a full-time member were Stephen Stills’ Manassas in the ’70s, and Souther Hillman Furay.
Listen to the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band’s “Fallin’ in Love,” with Harris on piano
“Paul Harris [was] one of the most gifted musicians I have ever worked with, a sweet, gentle, kind man, who never uttered a harsh word,” said Hillman. “He filled our lives with such grace and beauty through his music. I loved Paul, and we shared such wonderful moments together. He rests in peace, in heavenly grace. I will miss him.”
Watch Harris perform with Manassas in 1972
AllMusic.com credits Harris with playing with everyone from the Doors to ABBA, along with Stills, Dan Fogelberg, Mickey Thomas, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rick Derringer, Johnny Winter, Michael Bloomfield, Nick Drake, Kylie Minogue, Jay Ferguson, Joe Walsh, Poco, Roger McGuinn, KC & the Sunshine Band and dozens more. Wikipedia adds Judy Collins, Grace Slick, Al Kooper, Eric Andersen, John Martyn, John Sebastian, John Mellencamp, and Seals & Crofts. It also credits Harris with writing the orchestral arrangements for the Doors’ 1969 album The Soft Parade.
Yeah, it’s extensive.
This ad for the Manassas album—with Paul Harris at left—appeared in the April 29, 1972, issue of Record World
“I was amazed at how many records I made with Paul Harris. He was the go-to New York session guy. Once you work with Paul, you use him on everything you possibly could,” said drummer Joe Vitale of Barnstorm and scores of other gigs, including the Eagles. “They’re iconic tunes that are still getting played every day.”
Related: Other musicians who died in 2023
“He was the nicest person in the music business. He was a gentleman. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for you, always smiling. I’ve never seen him in a bad mood, and a lot of musicians, including myself, get in bad moods. The man was a gem, and his talent was outstanding,” Vitale said.
The “other” guys on the back cover of the Souther Hillman Furay Band’s debut album
“I finally got to play with him in [the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band],” said Poco/Buffalo Springfield legend Richie Furay. “What a tremendous person. He did his job, he was always happy, always a smile, always eating some kind of garlic. He was a classic guy.”
Harris “knew what to play, when to play it, how much to play,” Furay added. “When he put down the keyboard part on ‘Believe Me,’ I just melted. He’s a very, very gifted musician. Just a real top notch guy.”
Szymczyk met Harris in 1965, at a folk recording session. He was blown away. “I realized this dude is freaking amazing. From that point on as a producer, if I needed a keyboard player, he was at the top of my list,” Szymczyk said. “He could play anything and never make a mistake.”
“It was always a pleasure to look over there and hear him play,” Vitale said. “Bill didn’t have to say anything. Paul read the song so well he knew exactly what to play. That’s quite a talent.”
Harris didn’t like being in a touring band. Instead, he turned to doing local music productions. “He told me the noise got to him. I understand that. He was a classically trained piano player. When I heard about him doing Broadway, I thought it was perfect,” Vitale said.
Harris’ son, Josh, said one of the things Harris was most proud of was his work as a conductor/musical director on the touring version of the Broadway musical Smokey Joe’s Cafe. In his later career Harris was musical director for many shows in south Florida. The irony, his son added, is that at the end of the day, “he would have been happy to be a music teacher.”
Listen to Bob Seger’s “Against the WInd,” featuring Paul Harris’ piano
- Lisa Marie Presley Was ‘Lights Out’ On Her Recording Debut - 02/01/2024
- Steve Earle Interview: The Return of the Outlaw - 01/17/2024
- The Making of the Dan Fogelberg Tribute Album - 12/16/2023
8 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationHow could this musician have died two months ago and nobody mentioned or reported it anywhere? Well, better late than never.
Sorry to be late. I wanted to do it right.
I was trying to do the same thing – I wanted to collect quotes from people he played with. But I lost steam. Paul was my closest cousin- I loved him dearly
Thank you Mark for the wonderful tribute to Paul. He truly was the sweetest, kindest and most talented man!
RIP, Mr. Harris, and thank you for your remarkable contributions to some of my favorite songs.
This guy added beautiful piano fills to John & Beverley Martyn’s ‘Give Us a Ring’. Very sad to see him go. RIP.
He didn’t like to be touring bands, but I’m very glad he was in Manassas. That band was sensational. I have their live in Amsterdam CD and it’s excellent.
My dear close friend and band touring mate for 4 years with Dion.I played sax and did dual keyboard work with Paul.The sweetest and one of the smartest musicians I have ever known.He was also a humble man with so much talent.His spirit will always be with me!!!