((PKG))  PIA -  JAMES ÒCORNBREADÓ HARRIS 
((Banner:  Sharing the Talent))
((Executive Producer:  Marsha James))
((Camera:  Kaveh Rezaei)) 
((Map:  Minneapolis, Minnesota))
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
Music is a communication between a person that has been given a talent and they share it with other people.  Music is my gift from God. 
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
I zone out.  I start getting into what I'm doing.  I just got my little thing that I can do and I just do it.  
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
I am James Samuel Harris, Sr.  I'm 91 years old and I am a musician. 
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
I started actually playing music, I would say, 21 years old.  I was going around with friends and every time we'd go around a piano, we played whatever that is with the two fingers.  I enjoyed doing it, but I did not enjoy practicing.  But my grandparents that I ended up living with, decided I should have some culture, and music was the culture that they thought I should have.
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
I went to the Schmitt Music when I got out of the army, and bought a guitar chord book, learning how to play the chords on the guitar.  Well, I didn't play the guitar, I played the piano.  So, I had to transpose guitar thing to the piano and I began to understand that the chord progression was the harmony to a melody. 
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
Then I could play a chord.  Then I played the melody.  I played the chord and then I could play the melody and the chord pretty soon.  And so, I could start to play songs that I had never played before, never heard of.  And I gradually learned how to read a little music and then I taught myself how to blend the two things in order to get a song to go out from me.  
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, OK.  I wrote a song called ÔCornbreadÕ.  And the song got, kind of, popular and instead of people asking me to play ÔCornbreadÕ, they would say, ÔCornbread, could you play your song?Õ And so, I started to be called Cornbread. 
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
I don't have the radio on very much.  So, I'm not too hip to the modern songs and the modern beats and the modern kidsÕ tunes and stuff.  I'm still in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, the kind of music IÕm into.  My ability is in the Blues, spiritual area.  I'm still playing today.  In fact, we're sitting in a venue and I play here every Friday. 
((NATS))
((James Samuel Harris, Sr., Musician & Singer))
There's more talent in the universe that will be given to you, if you work at the talent that you have.  My job, itÕs not even a job no more.  ItÕs pleasing the people.  I love playing music and I appreciate being appreciated. 
     ((NATS))