KEMP HARRIS – AN ARTIST SPOTLIGHT AND INTIMATE INTERVIEW
By Ralph Beauchamp
Kemp Harris is a truly unique soul. He is a singer/songwriter as well as an actor, activist, author and educator. He was born in North Carolina and currently resides in Massachusetts. Harris‘ music resonates deeply with his audiences. His sound is full of intriguing nuances and heartfelt intonations.
Kemp Harris crafts songs that feel lived-in and weathered, blending elements of folk, blues, and roots rock into a sound that is both intimate and expansive. His voice carries a gravelly warmth, the kind that suggests years of stories gathered from back roads and small-town stages. Rather than relying on flash, Harris leans into subtlety. His music contains acoustic guitar lines that breathe, steady rhythms, and melodies that unfold naturally. Kemp Harris invites listeners to settle in and stay awhile.
Lyrically, his music is grounded in narrative detail. Harris writes about ordinary people, complicated relationships, and the quiet turning points that shape a life. There’s a reflective quality to his songwriting. It’s reminiscent of classic American troubadours, where each verse feels like a carefully observed snapshot. His phrasing is conversational yet poetic. He allows emotional weight to build gradually rather than overwhelm.
Sonically, Harris often surrounds his acoustic foundation with tasteful touches of electric guitar, harmonica, or understated percussion. The arrangements serve the story first, creating a cohesive, roots-oriented atmosphere that feels authentic rather than polished for radio. Kemp Harris’ sound remains consistent: honest, resonant, and deeply human.
Kemp Harris will be performing at Cantean Coffee & Tea in Hamden on Saturday, March 14. The show is presented by Bigger Beast Records/All Boats Rise Entertainment. The address is 1660 Whitney Avenue.
Kemp Harris was kind enough to sit for this intimate interview.
AMP: Your songwriting often feels deeply personal and socially aware. How do you balance storytelling with message in your music?
KEMP: Stories have been passed down forever. They keep our memories, our history and traditions alive. As a composer/performer, I write about my experience as a black, gay man living in America. I do not “preach” but rather, reflect the world I see. How a listener hears and interprets my message is their decision. I only hope that we are open to listening to each other.
AMP: Do you write with performance in mind, or does the live interpretation evolve later?
KEMP: I don’t write with performance in mind. My stage expression evolves, depending on my setting. I can sit at a grand piano solo and relish in the simplicity of it all. I think of Laura Nyro sitting alone at a piano, holding an audience happily captive. When I’m with my full band, it unleashes something else. I love reaching back to the blues/rock era music I listened to in my teens. I’m 73, but I can channel with the best of them. Hey, you can check out some of my videos on “The Extended Play Sessions” Fallout Shelter.
AMP: Your sound blends folk, blues and roots traditions. Which artists or genres most shaped your musical identity?
KEMP: The first voice I ever heard was my mom singing in a gospel choir. I too, sang in gospel choirs, school glee clubs, I absorbed all genres. Blues, R&B, folk, rock, opera, didn’t matter. I learned to play piano by ear. Composers like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Stephen Sondheim and so many others influenced me. Countless singers, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Janis Joplin, Sam Cooke, Joe Cocker, and more than I can list here all affect who I am.
AMP: What do you hope listeners feel or reflect on after hearing your music?
KEMP: I’ve had so many moments of clarity when folks have told me what my music made them feel. Sometimes, a person who comes from a totally different point of view, finds something to hang on to. The best compliment I ever got was someone saying, “your music makes me want to do better”. I can’t ask for more than that.
AMP: Many of your songs explore social justice and human resilience. What responsibility, if any, do you believe artists have in addressing social issues?
KEMP: I was born in 1952. In the years that followed, I was into different genres and styles of music. The folk scene of the 60’s and 70’s was interesting because of it’s messaging, its emphasis on songs of protest. Protest songs have always played an important role in motivating people. Songs of the civil rights movement sustained a generation. One of the roles of the artist is to reflect truth. That doesn’t mean that everyone must, but It’s a role I’ve taken on.
AMP: Have audiences ever interpreted your songs in ways that surprised you?
KEMP: Yes, I wrote the song “Edenton” about my hometown, a small segregated town. I remember someone saying that it sounded like a lovely place to grow up. I think the line “everybody knew their place,,,everyone had a smile on their face” was taken in another context, but I can’t control how people react.
AMP: When recording, do you prefer a stripped-down live feel or layered production?
KEMP: I had the great experience of going to Muscle Shoals, AL to record my album, The America Chronicles, at FAME Studio. Freebo produced/arranged the record and we recorded “live” with some of the best session musicians ever. It was amazing to hear in real time what others were bringing. What we play is what you get.
AMP: What risks have you taken musically that felt transformative?
KEMP: These are challenging times for artists. How safe do we feel to express our truth in light of the repressive environment we find ourselves in? For me, I’m grateful that my audience gives me space to be my authentic self.
AMP: Is there a sound or style you haven’t explored yet but feel drawn toward?
KEMP: I’ve always enjoyed all genres of music. My music is an amalgamation of everything I’ve listened to since I was a kid. When I get to sing jazz standards, I love it. I’ve written pieces with jazz overtones. It’s a different mission, a different way to tell a story.
AMP: If listeners could understand one core truth about you through your music, what would it be?
KEMP: At the end of the day, I’m a 73 year old, black man telling stories.
Kemp Harris will be performing at Cantean Coffee & Tea in Hamden on Saturday, March 14. The show is presented by Bigger Beast Records/All Boats Rise Entertainment. The address is 1660 Whitney Avenue.
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