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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDON and DEWEYR&B vocal duo Don 'Sugarcane' Harris and schoolmate Dewey Terry, both b c'38, signed to Kicks label '54 as the Squires, switched to Specialty; Sonny Bono heard their 'Jungle Hop' and wrote 'Koko Joe' for them, which Frank Zappa liked when he heard it on the radio. Despite their high energy stage act they never had any hits, but songs such as 'Farmer John', 'I'm Leaving It All Up To You', 'Justine' etc have been covered by the likes of Neil Young, the Righteous Bros, Osmond siblings etc. Harris had studied classical violin; he recorded with John Lee Hooker c'64 and Don and Dewey re-formed that year for a brooding instrumental 'Soul Motion' on Bono's Rush label. Harris had drink and drug problems, was got out of jail by Zappa '69 and added violin and vocals to Zappa's Hot Rats, Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh. He also recorded with Johnny Otis '69, then with guitarists John Mayall and Harvey Mandel, vocalist Ken Little (Solo on Dharma), Jean-Luc Ponty (New Violin Summit). Harris solo albums incl. Keep On Driving, Fiddler On The Rock, Got The Blues, Cupful Of Dreams, I'm Your Case and Flashin' Time all on European labels, two or three more on Epic: Dewey and Mandel appeared on several of these, Shuggie Otis on one of the Epics; Harris recorded with a band called Spud c'75 but by that year had succumbed again to his demons and was expelled from the musicians' union. Dewey made Chief '73 on Tumbleweed featuring Mandel; Don and Dewey compilation Jungle Hop is on a Specialty CD. |