Jerry Harrison

Jerry Harrison was born on February 21, 1949, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His early life was influenced by his artistic mother and musician father, and he pursued his own creative path, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Harvard College in 1972 with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies. His musical journey began in 1971 when he co-founded The Modern Lovers with Jonathan Richman, contributing to their seminal debut album in 1972 before leaving the band in 1974. Following this, he briefly returned to Harvard to pursue a Master’s degree in architecture, demonstrating an early interest in diverse fields.

In 1977, Harrison joined Talking Heads as keyboardist and guitarist, a role that brought him widespread recognition. He played a crucial role in shaping the band’s distinctive sound over many celebrated albums, including “Remain in Light,” which caused internal discussions regarding writing credits that were later resolved to include all band members. He also contributed to the band’s renowned film “Stop Making Sense” in 1984. During his time with Talking Heads, Harrison began exploring solo work, releasing albums such as “The Red and the Black” (1981) and “Casual Gods” (1988), the latter featuring the successful single “Rev It Up” which reached number seven on the US Mainstream Charts.

After Talking Heads disbanded in 1991, Harrison expanded his career as a producer, working with a diverse range of artists including Live, Violent Femmes, Crash Test Dummies, and No Doubt. His production credits span numerous successful albums throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Beyond music, Harrison has ventured into entrepreneurship, co-founding several innovative companies such as GarageBand.com, RedCrow (a direct investment platform for healthcare startups), The Main Stage (an interactive pitching platform), and Ophirex (developing antidotes for snake bites). His contributions to music were recognized with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads in 2002, and the band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. He continues to engage in music, with recent performances celebrating the “Remain in Light” album in 2021, and resides in Marin County, California.