HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE LATE WILBERT HARRISON, JANUARY 5, 1929 1 / 5 / 1929 = The late Wilbert Harrison was born. Died = 10 / 26 / 1994.Hometown = Charlotte, North Carolina. Wilbert was one of a family of 23. After 4 years in the Navy, he became interested in show business. In 1953, in Miami, he won first prize in an amateur show singing Mule Train. Eventually he got a recording contract with Rockin Records --- where he recorded This Woman Of Mine. Wilbert left Miami , in 1957, & went to Newark, New Jersey, where he worked local clubs 7 nights a week. He took K. C. Lovin to his good friend, Herman Lubinsky of Savoy Records, and told him he wanted to record it. Herman suggested that Wilbert take the song to Bobby Robinson, the head of Fury Records. Wilbert recorded the song in March 1959 --- retitled Kansas City. In a short time it became a # 1 national hit. By singing Gonna Be Standing On The Corner Of 12th Street & Vine, With My Kansas City Baby & My Bottle Of Kansas City Wine --- Wilbert Harrison put that location on the map. Kind of like Standing On The Corner In Winslow, Arizona, by the Eagles. Video clip of Wilbert Harrison singing Kansas City in 1959 on the Dick Clark Saturday night TV show. Special thanks to our friend,Frank Buongervino, for the above information.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 15:06:48 +0000