The Story of Keith Harris
TRENCH's senior editor James Keith honours Newcastle-born Keith Harris, a man whose career has been shaped by his work as a major music industry changemaker.
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Every single thing Keith Harris has achieved—and it’s a lengthy list—has been hard won. Born in Newcastle, raised in Wigan, he scored his first wins in the music industry while studying at Dundee University.
UK Pioneer Keith Harris by Keith Harris LTDTRENCH
There, he booked bands like Yes, Supertramp and Thin Lizzy, before they went on to megastardom. Although rock and prog-rock weren’t his first love, he proved to himself early that he knew which way the wind was blowing long before anyone else.
Harris made his first big league moves as Head Of Promotions and then General Manager at EMI in the late 1970s before becoming General Manager at Motown where he worked with Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Commodores, Rick James and Stevie Wonder.
LIFE Photo Collection
That proved to be a disheartening experience, where he often had to fight against racism, but after working with Stevie Wonder, the legendary artist whisked Harris away to LA as Operations Manager for all of his companies.
UK Pioneer Keith Harris by Keith Harris LTDTRENCH
He eventually returned in 1982, only to find that little had changed in the British music industry.
So, he set up his own management company, bringing Black British greats into the fold like Omar, Lynden David Hall and Junior Giscombe, all the while still representing Stevie Wonder.
Katherine Dunham-Negro Dancer (1943) by Gjon MiliLIFE Photo Collection
His position in the music industry has put him right at the top table, having been Chair of the Arts Council’s African and Caribbean Music Circuit, Director of Performer Affairs for PPL (2006–2015) and the former Chair of the Music Managers Forum (MMF).
UK Pioneer Keith Harris by Keith Harris LTDTRENCH
He is also the founding Chair of the European Music Managers Alliance, Chair of MusicTank, and Chair of the Equality and Diversity Taskforce for the Music Industry.
Though there have been changes for the better in a lot of ways, there is still a long way to go and Keith Harris remains right on the forefront of the fight.
In 2020, not long after the controversial Black Out Tuesday that happened in response to the murder of George Floyd, Keith Harris wrote an open letter to music industry execs, urging them to join the fight and put into place meaningful changes—from the top down.
Keith was focused on making sure this wasn't another "false dawn in terms of equality in the industry".
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Currently serving as the Rector for Dundee University, Mr. Harris is continuing to show future generations the way.
This digital work has been produced in collaboration with PRS Foundation and POWER UP. The article was featured in TRENCH x Union Black's Chapter One: Game Changers zine.
Words by James Keith
Photography by Keith Harris Music LTD
Videos by LyndenDavidHall4ever, Marvin Gaye
Commissioned by TRENCH
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