Spider Harrison is an American national radio DJ/Entertainer who first rose to prominence after replacing John R. on WLAC/Randy's, a 50-thousand watt Class A clear channel station in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the syndicated creator and host of urban/rock radio features "Spider Harrison's Rock n Soul America" and What Ever Happened To..? and owner of independent record label Spido Records Ltd. SPIDER HARRISON United States Patent and Trademark Office Reg. No. 3,866,847
Biography
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. Spider Harrison attended C.W. Post College, Tennessee State University, LA Valley College and holds a Business Administration Degree from The University of La Verne. In April 2020, Los Angeles Valley College in their monthly alumni newsletter acknowledged that Spider Harrison was a 1990 graduate. In 2020 Spider Harrison continue taking classes of interest at Chaffey College located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Career
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's Beer'. Amusingly, he has been featured as Hollywood's Johnny Cochran look-a-like during the 90's. Spider Harrison's recording of his song 'Beautiful Day' was heard and became a demo, rock style and shopped as a demo while in Los Angeles by musician Philip Donnelly, who also work many greats in Nashville. "Beautiful Day" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the first track on their tenth studio album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, and was released as the album's lead single in October 2000. That song was a commercial success, helping launch the album to multi-platinum status, and is one of U2's biggest hits to date. To make a long story short but true, the Philip Donnelly guitarist from Ireland while in America married to a former co-worker of mine from WTLC-FM in Indianapolis and they met in Los Angeles. I do recall that Phillip left America due to health reasons. He was considered a prodigious guitarist with a unique style. In 2000 my original version of "Beautiful Day" was licensed to Stones Throw Records & Now Again Records,Tame Records in Japan and available of the compilation LP/CD "Funky 16 Corners" Created and released while Spider Harrison then program director and afternoon drive-time jock at WTLC-FM, In 1972 the funky style of "Beauty Day" was recorded by "Spider" and produced by Indianapolis musician, the late James Boone. The song "Beautiful Day" by Spider Harrison was in 2012, featured on an episode on HBO's "Entourage" and is schedule to be more productions during 2020. Also he has an independent music label SPIDO RECORDS as of 2020. He recorded a remake novelty song by Jim Stafford, "Spider's and Snakes" During the seventies while on WLAC, Spider Harrison guested vocally on albums by R&B greats Millie Jackson, "Feelin Bitchy" and the late Joe Tex. with little success. While program director and music director at WTLC-FM he met many artist including the great R&B-jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis Trio and Maurice White who later formed Earth, Wind and Fire. In 1976 while Spider Harrison was at WLAC, Ramsey Lewis recorded a hit dance single about Spider Harrison entitled, "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. While at WLAC-AM in Nashville, America's top Radio Consultant, Kent Burkhardt change the Top 40 format call letters to 15LAC. Then Billboard Magazine bought 15LAC and Spider Harrison, hosted the first Billboard Soul Countdown. At nights on the 50,000 watt WLAC-AM Class A signal could be heard in some 20 states, parts of Canada and throughout the Caribbean. In 1981 he headed for California. In 2015, Spider Harrison was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame and WLAC, Nashville radio was honored with The Legendary Station Award. As of 2020 he is a member of the former Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters which was founded in 1966, with new name changed in 2019 to "Hollywood Media Professionals" and became a board member as of August 2019 for a three term. Currently, Spider Harrison alive and well in 2020, an active member of the SAG-AFTRA Union, Plus serving as a board member of the Hollywood Media Professionals, The site is wwww.hollywoodmediaprofessional.com. Spider Harrison is pursuing professional acting, television projects and capable of voice-tracking radio shows world-wide.
