Spider Harrison

Early life and education

Born in Hempstead, New York, he became known as "Spider Harrison" while attending Hempstead High School, where he was a running back on the football team. Catching the eyes of a coach because of his size and speed, Harrison became known as "Spider Harrison" for the remainder of his high school days and carried the handle into his radio, recording and acting careers.

During his high school summers, he worked with a New York concert promoter, an arrangement that allowed him to meet with radio personalities from Top 40 powerhouse WABC and #1 Soul station WWRL as well as with many recording artists and record industry executives. Taking classes at C.W. Post College, Harrison worked several "fill in" air shifts on WCWP and created a show called An Introduction To Soul. He soon interned at WWRL in Woodside Queens where he honed his radio production skills and filled in on Sundays, setting up gospel "remotes" for churches throughout Brooklyn and Harlem (New York).

Spider Harrison attended C.W. Post College, Tennessee State University, LA Valley College (AA Degree in Liberal Arts) and holds a Business Administration Degree from The University of La Verne (La Verne, CA).

Career

Spider Harrison's first professional radio stop was at WTLC-FM in Indianapolis. There, as an afternoon drive personality, Spider Harrison soon became program and music director. Next Spider Harrison answered the call to replace the legendary John R. (John Richbourg) on his retirement from the 50,000 watt clear channel Class A station, WLAC (often referred to as Randy's Record Mart of Gallatin TN) in Nashville. This move enabled Spider Harrison's show to reach half of the US and parts of Canada and the Caribbean. During his eight years at WLAC the station was purchased by Billboard Magazine and Spider found himself hosting the first Billboard Soul Countdown syndicated radio show. In the 1980s, when AM radio began moving more and more towards a news/talk format, Spider Harrison relocated to Los Angeles, greatly expanding his industry opportunities. Besides a stint at radio station KGFJ, he started the nationally syndicated radio show 'What Ever Happened To?' that was based on his respected column in BRE (Black Radio Exclusive Magazine). In addition to his radio career he became the West Coast promotions director for the first successful Rap record label in America Sugar Hill Records established by the late Joe Robinson Sr., Joey Jr. and founder Sylvia Robinson. To this day Spider Harrison regards with satisfaction seeing Rap Music achieve national and international significance and his experience as Promotion Director accompanying Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five on their national tours as high points in a long exciting career.

An active member of the Screen Actors Guild, Spider Harrison has appeared in national television commercials with Colonel Sanders for KFC, with Johnny Cash for STP and with Billy Carter in television spots for 'Billy Beer'. Amusingly, he has many times been featured as Hollywood's Johhny Cochran look-aike. Spider Harrison's recording of his song 'Beautiful Day' (still available from Stones Throw Records & Now Again Records, plus Tame Records-Japan) Created and released while he was at WTLC-FM, 1971-72. In 2012 the song 'Beautiful Day' was featured on an episode on HBO's Entourage. During the seventies he also guested vocally on albums by R&B greats Millie Jackson and the late Joe Tex. While program director and music director at WTLC-FM met many artist including the great R&B-jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis. In 1976 when Spider Harrison was at WLAC, Ramsey Lewis recorded a hit dance single about Spider Harrison, "What's The Name Of This Funk Spider-Man" the song was played often on Soul Train. Spider was also a friend to the late Don Cornelius, creator of the long running weekly, Soul Train national syndicated television dance show.

In 2015, Spider Harrison was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame and WLAC,Nashville radio was also honored with The Legendary Station Award. He is also a member of the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters.