The late Sterling Harrison ( 1941-2005) went largely unheralded by the music business throughout his long career, but regularly pleased audiences in 27 states, Canada and the Virgin Islands. He first appeared on record in 1955 recording "The Devil's Got A Spell On Me" for Vim Records, after he'd trekked north to NYC from Richmond VA, where he had first made a name for himself as a gospel singer in The Harrison Family Singers. He spent years on the road in the 60's, playing chitlin circuit venues where he appeared on bills with Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, becoming good friends with Millie Jackson. He even worked with Jimi Hendrix,who once backed him up on a road revue in Nashville TN at the New Era nightclub. He was known for a time as 'King of The Wobble' after he recorded a regional hit dance record 'The Wobble', and played large theaters including The Apollo in New York. Of course his home town of Richmond VA, where Sterling was a frequent headliner he was big at spots like The Ebony Island Club, Jamaica Country Club, The Mouse Trap, The Richmond Arena, The Pink Garter, The Kozy Cat, Gregory's Ball Room, Love and Union Hall , 24 South Union., The Darrius Club, The Bus Men's Club, Ranch House 33, Bug's Place, June German, Hipollo Theater and Tantilla Gardens.. By 1977 he moved to the west coast, and released a 12" on Motown called "Roll Her Skate Her". This soul & blues singer, who made his home in Hollywood CA for over 20 years, had a 1980 self-titled LP on Atlantic, and put out two later discs, Concord's "Two Way Love Affair" and 2002's Sounds Of Soul release "I'm Just Getting Started". He was recognized late in his career, ironically "discovered" playing a lounge in south central LA, with the LA Weekly opining in 2000 "He’s got a falsetto that Prince would kill for, a low tenor that could melt Arthur Prysock and a growl that would strike terror in Bobby “Blue” Bland". Shortly before his death, he left a final potent collection of tracks co-produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos that eventually was released posthumously on the Hacktone label under the title "South Of The Snooty Fox". His final album shows an artist influenced by fellow soul singers like Howard Tate and O.V Wright, as well as Tom Waits, whose song "The House Where Nobody Lives" gets a deep bluesy heartwrenching southern soul treatment. Sterling's 45 years of road experience and infectious soul style are apparent on track after track. His nephew says "Sterling never smoked a cigarette, never got high, didn’t drink nothin’ stronger than cranberry juice. He felt that you don’t get a second chance to make that first impression. He always wanted to be ready." Sterling would say " you gotta be patient in this business, but it’s just as important to be ready.” <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Sterling+Harrison">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.