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Created page with "{{Infobox person | name=Allen W. "Puddler" Harris<br> (Pianist for singers Ricky Nelson and former Governor Jimmie Davis) |nationality=American | birth..."
{{Infobox person
| name=Allen W. "Puddler" Harris<br>
(Pianist for singers Ricky Nelson and former Governor Jimmie Davis)
|nationality=[[United States|American]]
| birth_date=June 9, 1936
| birth_place=Jigger, Franklin Parish<br>[[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]
| spouse= Marsette B. Harris<br>
Four children
| residence=[[Lake Charles]], Louisiana<br>
{{Infobox person
| name=Allen W. "Puddler" Harris
|nationality=[[United States|American]]
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1936|6|9}}
| death_date=
| birth_place=[[Jigger, Louisiana|Jigger]], [[Franklin Parish]]<br>[[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]
| death_place=
| spouse=Marsette B. Harris
| children= Four children
| residence=[[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]]<br>[[Calcasieu Parish]], Louisiana<br>
'''Notes''':<br>
*Harris career as a [[pianist]] mostly began and ended with two of the best-known names in the field of [[music]]: [[Ricky Nelson]] in [[California]] and [[Jimmie Davis]] in [[Louisiana]].<br>
*Floyd Cramer's decision to move to [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]] opened doors for Harris to become staff pianist at the former Louisiana Hayride in [[Shreveport]]'s Municipal Auditorium.<br>
* Harris' friendship with a former Lake Charles [[Mayor]] James Edward Sudduth, I (1917-1995)
led to Harris' appointment as director of the Lake Charles Civic Center, which is named for Sudduth.<br>
*Harris is among sixteen musicians honored with induction in the Delta Music Museum in Ferriday in Concordia Parish because of their impact on the [[Mississippi River]] delta country.
}}
'''Allen W. Harris''', known as '''Puddler Harris''' (born June 9, 1936), is a [[rock and roll]] and [[Country music|country]] [[musician]] who played [[piano]] in the original [[Ricky Nelson]] Band in [[Hollywood]], [[California]], and the last [[Jimmie Davis]] band in [[Louisiana]]. In between, he worked for a [[decade]] with Conway Twitty (1933-1993) as the singer's production manager.
==Biography==
Harris was born in tiny Jigger near Winnsboro in Franklin Parish in northeastern Louisiana. Jigger was also the birthplace of perennial Louisiana political candidate [[L. D. Knox|L. D. "None of the Above" Knox]]. Harris's interest in music began as a teenager when he and [[guitarist]] Fred Carter, Jr., also from Winnsboro, formed a band which played at parties, drive-in restaurants, and other similar gatherings. Harris joined the [[United States Marine Corps]]. On his discharge, he was given the opportunity to substitute for pianist Floyd Cramer (1933-1997) at the Louisiana Hayride in the [[Shreveport]] Municipal Memorial Auditorium. When Cramer moved permanently to [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], Harris replaced him as staff pianist at the Hayride, which closed in 1960. He also recorded and toured with Johnny Horton and became friends with Joe Osborn, originally from Mound near Tallulah in Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana, and James Burton, a [[guitarist]] born in [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana. The trio thereafter reunited as members of the original Nelson band.<ref name=brochure>Brochure, "Delta Music Museum Celebrities," Delta Music Museum, Ferriday, Louisiana.</ref>
While in Hollywood, Harris recorded with Walter Brennan, known for the ''The Real McCoys'' [[television]] series, Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Lettermen, The Ventures, and Ray Anthony. He also worked for Leroy Van Dyke and Nat Stuckey. When Stuckey toured with Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, Twitty offered Harris a position with his "Twitty Bird Band."<ref name=brochure/>
While performing in [[Lake Charles]] in Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, Harris became friends with the [[mayor]] and was subsequently asked to become director of the Lake Charles Civic Center, named for the late Mayor James E. Sudduth. It was during this time that Harris joined the last band of former Louisiana [[Governor]] Davis. He remained with his friend Davis until the former governor died in the year 2000.<ref name=brochure/>
Harris resides in Lake Charles with his wife, Marsette B. Harris. He has four children. He is among fifteen fellow musicians, living and deceased, including Davis and Twitty, who have been inducted into the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday in Concordia Parish.
On January 28, 2012, Harris received the annual "Friend of Jimmie Davis" award at the banquet of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20120117/NEWS01/201170301/La-Political-Hall-Fame-Winnfield-enshrine-Baden-five-others-Jan-28|title=La. Political Hall of Fame in Winnfield to enshrine [[Fred Baden|Baden]], five others, Jan. 28.|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=January 16, 2012}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Allen "Puddler"}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Pianists]]
[[Category:Musicians]]
[[Category:Country music]]
[[Category:United States Marines]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
| name=Allen W. "Puddler" Harris<br>
(Pianist for singers Ricky Nelson and former Governor Jimmie Davis)
|nationality=[[United States|American]]
| birth_date=June 9, 1936
| birth_place=Jigger, Franklin Parish<br>[[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]
| spouse= Marsette B. Harris<br>
Four children
| residence=[[Lake Charles]], Louisiana<br>
{{Infobox person
| name=Allen W. "Puddler" Harris
|nationality=[[United States|American]]
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1936|6|9}}
| death_date=
| birth_place=[[Jigger, Louisiana|Jigger]], [[Franklin Parish]]<br>[[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]
| death_place=
| spouse=Marsette B. Harris
| children= Four children
| residence=[[Lake Charles, Louisiana|Lake Charles]]<br>[[Calcasieu Parish]], Louisiana<br>
'''Notes''':<br>
*Harris career as a [[pianist]] mostly began and ended with two of the best-known names in the field of [[music]]: [[Ricky Nelson]] in [[California]] and [[Jimmie Davis]] in [[Louisiana]].<br>
*Floyd Cramer's decision to move to [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]] opened doors for Harris to become staff pianist at the former Louisiana Hayride in [[Shreveport]]'s Municipal Auditorium.<br>
* Harris' friendship with a former Lake Charles [[Mayor]] James Edward Sudduth, I (1917-1995)
led to Harris' appointment as director of the Lake Charles Civic Center, which is named for Sudduth.<br>
*Harris is among sixteen musicians honored with induction in the Delta Music Museum in Ferriday in Concordia Parish because of their impact on the [[Mississippi River]] delta country.
}}
'''Allen W. Harris''', known as '''Puddler Harris''' (born June 9, 1936), is a [[rock and roll]] and [[Country music|country]] [[musician]] who played [[piano]] in the original [[Ricky Nelson]] Band in [[Hollywood]], [[California]], and the last [[Jimmie Davis]] band in [[Louisiana]]. In between, he worked for a [[decade]] with Conway Twitty (1933-1993) as the singer's production manager.
==Biography==
Harris was born in tiny Jigger near Winnsboro in Franklin Parish in northeastern Louisiana. Jigger was also the birthplace of perennial Louisiana political candidate [[L. D. Knox|L. D. "None of the Above" Knox]]. Harris's interest in music began as a teenager when he and [[guitarist]] Fred Carter, Jr., also from Winnsboro, formed a band which played at parties, drive-in restaurants, and other similar gatherings. Harris joined the [[United States Marine Corps]]. On his discharge, he was given the opportunity to substitute for pianist Floyd Cramer (1933-1997) at the Louisiana Hayride in the [[Shreveport]] Municipal Memorial Auditorium. When Cramer moved permanently to [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], Harris replaced him as staff pianist at the Hayride, which closed in 1960. He also recorded and toured with Johnny Horton and became friends with Joe Osborn, originally from Mound near Tallulah in Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana, and James Burton, a [[guitarist]] born in [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana. The trio thereafter reunited as members of the original Nelson band.<ref name=brochure>Brochure, "Delta Music Museum Celebrities," Delta Music Museum, Ferriday, Louisiana.</ref>
While in Hollywood, Harris recorded with Walter Brennan, known for the ''The Real McCoys'' [[television]] series, Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Lettermen, The Ventures, and Ray Anthony. He also worked for Leroy Van Dyke and Nat Stuckey. When Stuckey toured with Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, Twitty offered Harris a position with his "Twitty Bird Band."<ref name=brochure/>
While performing in [[Lake Charles]] in Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, Harris became friends with the [[mayor]] and was subsequently asked to become director of the Lake Charles Civic Center, named for the late Mayor James E. Sudduth. It was during this time that Harris joined the last band of former Louisiana [[Governor]] Davis. He remained with his friend Davis until the former governor died in the year 2000.<ref name=brochure/>
Harris resides in Lake Charles with his wife, Marsette B. Harris. He has four children. He is among fifteen fellow musicians, living and deceased, including Davis and Twitty, who have been inducted into the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday in Concordia Parish.
On January 28, 2012, Harris received the annual "Friend of Jimmie Davis" award at the banquet of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20120117/NEWS01/201170301/La-Political-Hall-Fame-Winnfield-enshrine-Baden-five-others-Jan-28|title=La. Political Hall of Fame in Winnfield to enshrine [[Fred Baden|Baden]], five others, Jan. 28.|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=January 16, 2012}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Allen "Puddler"}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Pianists]]
[[Category:Musicians]]
[[Category:Country music]]
[[Category:United States Marines]]
[[Category:Republicans]]