Alison Harris lives in Blucher Valley, a wild space between Sebastopol and The Pacific Ocean. The leaves are turning and the vineyards glow with red and orange. The owls are singing their night song, the sassy mocking birds have quieted with the approach of ocean fog. Alison's music embodies this lush unique environment. The coastal winds, creeks, and redwood trees of this small Sebastopol Valley, where she also grew up, can be heard in every note she plays and sings.
Alison is the daughter of an elementary school music teacher and the granddaughter of an eccentric big band composer. Classically trained, she began violin lessons with her father at the age of five, and piano at eight. Her childhood exposure to music was eclectic, a rich world of Kentucky lullabies sung to her by her great-grandmother, Rhythm and Blues, and singing rounds with her family in a 1976 Jenny Blue Cadillac on long drives down Highway1.
Alison's rich musical world evolved into songwriting with the piano at age 13. While studying music at Sonoma State University, she was inspired to pick up the guitar by friends hosting old time bluegrass jams around a campfire in their backyard. Alison’s songs have been influenced by Americana Artists Lucinda Williams, Emmy Lou Harris and Gillian Welch. Her music explores strength through vulnerability, inspired by timeless melody, rich harmony, love, lust, community, and natural beauty.
Alison has shared the stage with Sam Bush, Albert Lee, The Iguanas, The Mother Hips, Langhorne Slim, Honey Honey, Chatham County Line, Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, John Doe, Hot Buttered Rum, The Easy Leaves, and Poor Man's Whiskey. Her debut record “Smoke Rings in the Sky” (Omega Records) was recorded at Different Fur Studios (Herbie Hancock, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, David Byrne) in San Francisco. The album was produced by Chris Chu (POP ETC. ) and Patrick Brown (Tegan and Sara, Gomez, Black Lips, Violent Femmes, Kate Walsh, Rodrigo y Gabriella). San Francisco Magazine commented, “Alison Harris sounds like a country songbird perched on Bonnie Raitt's shoulder. She sings about loneliness and longing with a grace and beauty that almost makes those things desirable.” She performed with Sonoma County Americana Trio The Bootleg Honeys for two years, sharing the stage with The Indigo Girls, Amy Helm, Robert Earl Keen, Trampled by Turtles, The White Buffalo, and more. Alison has had the opportunity to grace the stage at Great American Music Hall, The Mystic Theatre, Pappy and Harriet's (Joshua Tree), The Kate Wolf Festival, Rivertown Revival, and Twin Peaks Music Festival (Bend, OR).
Alison’s sophomore album, Walker Road, was recorded live and analog at the historic Walker Road Schoolhouse building in Two Rock, California with Americana Band The Barn Owls. Walker Road captures the organic warmth and spontaneity of the band playing music in a beautiful old room together, decorated with a soulful mix of Wurlitzer, Vibraphone, and Hammond B-3.
Alison is currently working on a piano/vocal based cover album of The Mother Hips' songs produced and engineered by Tim Bluhm (The Mother Hips), with musical contributions by Pat Sansone (Wilco), Dave Schools (Widespread Panic, Hard Working Americans), and String Arranger Brad Jones (Over the Rhine, Josh Rouse, Chuck Prophet). The album, "Form of Flight", is scheduled for release in February 2019.
Alison is the daughter of an elementary school music teacher and the granddaughter of an eccentric big band composer. Classically trained, she began violin lessons with her father at the age of five, and piano at eight. Her childhood exposure to music was eclectic, a rich world of Kentucky lullabies sung to her by her great-grandmother, Rhythm and Blues, and singing rounds with her family in a 1976 Jenny Blue Cadillac on long drives down Highway1.
Alison's rich musical world evolved into songwriting with the piano at age 13. While studying music at Sonoma State University, she was inspired to pick up the guitar by friends hosting old time bluegrass jams around a campfire in their backyard. Alison’s songs have been influenced by Americana Artists Lucinda Williams, Emmy Lou Harris and Gillian Welch. Her music explores strength through vulnerability, inspired by timeless melody, rich harmony, love, lust, community, and natural beauty.
Alison has shared the stage with Sam Bush, Albert Lee, The Iguanas, The Mother Hips, Langhorne Slim, Honey Honey, Chatham County Line, Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, John Doe, Hot Buttered Rum, The Easy Leaves, and Poor Man's Whiskey. Her debut record “Smoke Rings in the Sky” (Omega Records) was recorded at Different Fur Studios (Herbie Hancock, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, David Byrne) in San Francisco. The album was produced by Chris Chu (POP ETC. ) and Patrick Brown (Tegan and Sara, Gomez, Black Lips, Violent Femmes, Kate Walsh, Rodrigo y Gabriella). San Francisco Magazine commented, “Alison Harris sounds like a country songbird perched on Bonnie Raitt's shoulder. She sings about loneliness and longing with a grace and beauty that almost makes those things desirable.” She performed with Sonoma County Americana Trio The Bootleg Honeys for two years, sharing the stage with The Indigo Girls, Amy Helm, Robert Earl Keen, Trampled by Turtles, The White Buffalo, and more. Alison has had the opportunity to grace the stage at Great American Music Hall, The Mystic Theatre, Pappy and Harriet's (Joshua Tree), The Kate Wolf Festival, Rivertown Revival, and Twin Peaks Music Festival (Bend, OR).
Alison’s sophomore album, Walker Road, was recorded live and analog at the historic Walker Road Schoolhouse building in Two Rock, California with Americana Band The Barn Owls. Walker Road captures the organic warmth and spontaneity of the band playing music in a beautiful old room together, decorated with a soulful mix of Wurlitzer, Vibraphone, and Hammond B-3.
Alison is currently working on a piano/vocal based cover album of The Mother Hips' songs produced and engineered by Tim Bluhm (The Mother Hips), with musical contributions by Pat Sansone (Wilco), Dave Schools (Widespread Panic, Hard Working Americans), and String Arranger Brad Jones (Over the Rhine, Josh Rouse, Chuck Prophet). The album, "Form of Flight", is scheduled for release in February 2019.
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