After what must have been an exhausting day of interviews, Hall of Fame vocalist and five-time Grammy winner, Larnelle Harris, showed no signs of slowing down. I had the privilege of conducting his last interview at this year’s 75th annual NRB convention in Nashville, TN. A wooden bench nestled inside a stunning Gaylord Opryland courtyard awaited us. I opened by telling Mr. Harris what a pleasure it was to meet him and he quickly responded with, “It’s my pleasure.”
His words were not mere pleasantries, but a true indication of a most humble and kindhearted man. His recently released memoir, Shaped Notes: How Ordinary People with Extraordinary Gifts Influenced my Life and Career, was our main topic. When asked why he felt now was the right time to share his story after a career spanning more than five decades in the music industry, he responded by saying, “It’s never too late to say thank you.”
“IT’S NEVER TO
LATE TO SAY
THANK YOU.”
Larnelle wanted to tell a story, but not so much about himself. He wanted to tell a story about those who spoke into his life – teachers, lay people, church members, and most of all, his parents. “To be able to tell the story of what they did, and how they