Harry Womack
Encyclopedia
Harris "Harry" Womack was an American
singer and musician, most notable for his tenure as a member of the family R&B quintet, The Valentinos
; he was memorized in brother Bobby Womack
's 1973 hit, "Harry Hippie
".
. Harry and his brothers, Friendly Jr., Curtis, Bobby and Cecil
began singing gospel music together in their father's Baptist
church as The Womack Brothers. Before reaching his teen age years, Harry took up bass guitar
. Among the members, Harry was known for being a tenor
, which was a contrast with some of his other brothers' baritone
-reared vocal styles. When Harry was eleven, he and his brothers were discovered by Sam Cooke
, who promised to mentor the boys and help their careers, making good on his promise when he signed the brothers to his own label, SAR Records
.
", which sold two million copies, making them stars. The group released their next multi-million seller, "It's All Over Now
", two years later. The song became an even bigger hit when The Rolling Stones
released the song around the same time.
The group's career was put in jeopardy when their mentor Cooke was shot and killed at a Los Angeles
motel
. Their label folded shortly afterwards and the brothers signed with Chess Records
but had little success, mainly due to the scandal concerning Bobby's marriage to Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell Cooke. After Bobby left the group to find session work in Atlantic
, the remaining Valentinos signed with Jubilee Records
, recording the minor hit, "Sweeter than the Day Before".
By 1970, they were dropped from their label and Harry relocated to California where he began working with brother Bobby on his solo records and also was part of his brother's touring band as a bassist. Womack played bass on Bobby's hit albums, Communication and Understanding. Bobby Womack described his brother as a "hippie" and said Harry lived a "bohemian, carefree lifestyle", in contrast to Bobby's rock star-styled lifestyle. In 1973, Womack's friend, Jim Ford, penned a humorous tribute to Harry titled "Harry Hippie
". The song became a hit after its release.
While Cecil Womack had long decided to forge on a solo career, Harry and two of the other Valentinos, Friendly and Curtis, revived the group in 1973 and covered their brother Bobby's hit, "I Can Understand It", which became a minor R&B hit. The trio later performed their version on Soul Train
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and musician, most notable for his tenure as a member of the family R&B quintet, The Valentinos
The Valentinos
The Valentinos , was a Cleveland, Ohio-based family R&B group, mainly famous for launching the careers of brothers Bobby Womack and Cecil Womack, the former brother finding bigger fame as a solo artist and the latter finding success as a member of the husband and wife team of Womack & Womack with...
; he was memorized in brother Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
's 1973 hit, "Harry Hippie
Harry Hippie
"Harry Hippie" is a 1972 song written by Jim Ford, who wrote it for singer Bobby Womack as a dedication to his brother, bass guitarist Harry Womack, that became a top ten R&B hit for Womack when issued as a single in 1973 reaching number eight on the chart....
".
Early life
Harris Womack was the fourth of five boys born to Naomi and Friendly Womack, Sr. in ClevelandCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Harry and his brothers, Friendly Jr., Curtis, Bobby and Cecil
Cecil Womack
In 1983, under the name of Womack & Womack, Cecil and Linda released a successful album, Love Wars, and continued to make albums until 1993. Their song "Love Wars" was covered by The Beautiful South for the 1990 compilation Rubáiyát. Their most successful single was "Teardrops" in 1988.-Albums:*...
began singing gospel music together in their father's Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church as The Womack Brothers. Before reaching his teen age years, Harry took up bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Among the members, Harry was known for being a tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
, which was a contrast with some of his other brothers' baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
-reared vocal styles. When Harry was eleven, he and his brothers were discovered by Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
, who promised to mentor the boys and help their careers, making good on his promise when he signed the brothers to his own label, SAR Records
SAR Records
SAR Records was a record company founded by soul music legend Sam Cooke in 1961. The meaning of "SAR" has been disputed; it has been listed as "Sam & Alex Records" and also as "Sam, Alex, & Roy Records" SAR Records was a record company founded by soul music legend Sam Cooke in 1961. The meaning of...
.
Career
After recording and releasing two singles under their original name, Cooke changed the group's name to The Valentinos and helped arrange the group's first major hit, the Bobby Womack-led "Lookin' for a LoveLookin' for a Love
"Lookin' for a Love" is a song written by J. W. Alexander and Zelda Samuels. The song was originally a top ten hit on the US R&B Singles chart in 1962 for the Valentinos on the Sam Cooke-owned SAR record label. Cooke, Alexander and Samuels based the song's chord structure on the melodic motif...
", which sold two million copies, making them stars. The group released their next multi-million seller, "It's All Over Now
It's All Over Now
"It's All Over Now" was written by Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack. It was first released by The Valentinos featuring Bobby Womack. The Valentinos version entered the Billboard Hot 100 on June 27, 1964, where it stayed on the chart for two weeks, peaking at No. 94...
", two years later. The song became an even bigger hit when The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
released the song around the same time.
The group's career was put in jeopardy when their mentor Cooke was shot and killed at a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
. Their label folded shortly afterwards and the brothers signed with Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
but had little success, mainly due to the scandal concerning Bobby's marriage to Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell Cooke. After Bobby left the group to find session work in Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, the remaining Valentinos signed with Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. Jerry Blaine became Abramson's partner. Blaine bought out Abramson's half of the company in 1947. The company name was Jay-Gee Recording...
, recording the minor hit, "Sweeter than the Day Before".
By 1970, they were dropped from their label and Harry relocated to California where he began working with brother Bobby on his solo records and also was part of his brother's touring band as a bassist. Womack played bass on Bobby's hit albums, Communication and Understanding. Bobby Womack described his brother as a "hippie" and said Harry lived a "bohemian, carefree lifestyle", in contrast to Bobby's rock star-styled lifestyle. In 1973, Womack's friend, Jim Ford, penned a humorous tribute to Harry titled "Harry Hippie
Harry Hippie
"Harry Hippie" is a 1972 song written by Jim Ford, who wrote it for singer Bobby Womack as a dedication to his brother, bass guitarist Harry Womack, that became a top ten R&B hit for Womack when issued as a single in 1973 reaching number eight on the chart....
". The song became a hit after its release.
While Cecil Womack had long decided to forge on a solo career, Harry and two of the other Valentinos, Friendly and Curtis, revived the group in 1973 and covered their brother Bobby's hit, "I Can Understand It", which became a minor R&B hit. The trio later performed their version on Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
.