Barry spent six years with Shemekia Copeland touring at myriad domestic and international tours. Before that he had a several years long tenure with her father, the legendary Johnny Copeland, until his death. Barry's playing personifies the quintessential blues-based drummer: a deep pocket, tight groove and supportive agility. It is no secret that Barry is the undisputed king of blues drummers in NYC. Thus, his name "The Baron of the Blues", as musicians often introduce him on stage, is a perfect coincidence with his true name - Baron. Currently Barry is the house drummer at the famed Manhattan blues venue, Terra Blues, working with the five-time WC Handy Award and Grammy Award nominee Michael Powers, as well as with the blues staple musicians on the NYC blues scene: Jerry Dugger, Saron Cranshaw, Clarence Spady, and Bobby Radcliff, Steve Guyger, among many others.
Baron Harrison was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1963 to Donald and Vivian Harrison. Barry’s career as a drummer was greatly influenced by his father, Donald, who was a drummer for Ron Anderson and the Versatiles. Donald started teaching Barry during his junior year of high school which led to Barry being a sub-in his father’s band years that followed. Barry’s interest in music led him to studying music at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn and playing drums at the United Community Baptist Church in Coney Island. Early on, during the 1980’s Barry kept chair as an R&B, blues, and a jazz drummer for several bands. As a blues drummer, Barry became a member of the Johnny Lee Blues Band playing throughout New York City. Since Barry’s introduction into the New York Blues scene in the mid-1980’s he has become one of the most highly sought after drummers eventually playing for legendary Johnny Clyde Copeland band. After Johnny Copeland’s passing in 1997, Barry went on to spend six years working with Johnny’s daughter, Shemekia Copeland, another blues legend. Barry has also worked with Sonny Rhodes, Eddie Kirkland, Phil Guy, and Lonnie Shields. Barry is currently playing and touring with WC Handy Award and Grammy Award nominee Michael Powers.
Some of the bands Berry played with (in no particular order)
- United Community Baptist Church (1980- 1983)
- The Concrete Band (1981 – 1982)
- "Light Touch" (1983 – 1986)
- The Johnny Lee Blues Band (1989 – 1992)
- The Jersey Slim Band (1990 – 1992)
- Johnny Clyde Copeland Band (1992 – 1997)
- Shemekia Copeland – (1998 – 2004)
- Michael Powers Frequency (2004 – present)
- LLiquid (2005 – present)
- Terra Blues (2004 – present)
- The Harlem Blues Project (2005 – present)
- The Robert Ross Band (1991 – 1999)
- Johnny Allen (1995) Mohair Sam (1992)
- Big Frank and the Healers (1995 – 1998)
- Bobby kyle (1996 – 1997)
- Lonnie Shields (1997)
- The Tony O Band 91996 – 1997)
- Johhny Rawls (2004)
- Rich Cohen and The Blues Prescription (2005 – present)
- Saron Crenshaw Band (2004 – present)
- Phillip Walker (2005)
- Phil Guy (1998)
- Sonny Rhodes (1999)
- Eddie Kirkland (1999)
- Ron Anderson and the Versatiles (1989 – 1999)
- The Sound Pipers (1996 – 1997)
TV Appearances
- CNN with Johnny Clyde Copeland
- Good Morning America with Johnny Clyde Copeland
- Jazz Central with Shemekia Copeland
- The Conan O Brien Show with Shemekia Copeland
- CBS Morning News with Shemekia Copeland
Discography
- Strike a Deep Chord Johnny Copleand (Ghetto Child) Compilation - 1992
- Catch up with the Blues Johnny Copeland (Label = Polygram, Verve) - 1993
- Jungle Swing Johnny Copeland Polygram, Verve 1995
- After the Storm Bobby Kyle 1995
- Big Frank and the Healers Vintage from the Vaults 1996
- Man Hat Tone 1040 2005
- Blues Is On Fire Lonnie Shields JSP Records 1997
- Bar Walking Chris Beard JSP Records 1997
- Randy Lippincott Artiste 1997
- Turn the Heat Up Shemekia Copeland Alligator Records 1998 a) My Kind of Guy b) Ghetto Child c)
- Wicked Shemekia Copeland Alligator Records 1999 a) My Own Tears b)
- The Story of the Blues Johnny Copeland Compilation Hangar 21 Label 1997
- Alligator Christmas Shemekia Copeland Alligator Records 2003
- Who’s That Knocking Rich Cohen Stone Tone Records 2005
- Sour Mash Rich Cohen & The Blues Prescription Stone Tone Records 2006
- Its About Time Rhoda Nkojo, Independent label
Some Festivals Barry played at
- Chicago Blues Festival (1993 – Johhny Copeland, 1998 – Shemekia Copeland, 2002 – Shemekia Copeland, 2005 – Michael Powers)
- June Teenth Blues Festival (1993 – Johnny Copeland)
- Pittsburg Blues Festival (1996 – Johnny Copeland)
- Ottawa Blues Festival (1996 – Johnny Copeland, 2001 – Shemekia Copeland, 2005 – Michael Powers)
- Pocono Blues Festival (1992,94 – Johnny Copeland, 2000,03 – Shemekia Copeland, 2005 – Michael Powers)
- Montreal Jazz Festival (1998 – Shemekia Copeland)
- Montreaux Jazz Festival (1994 – Johnny Copeland, 2000 – Shemekia Copeland)
- North Sea Jazz Festival (2000 – Shemekia Copeland)
- Kongsberg Jazz Festival (1994 – Johhny Copeland, 2000 – Shemekia Copeland)
