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from the University of Minnesota Press
The emotional, epic story of James “Cornbread” Harris—a self-proclaimed “blessed dude” and one of Minneapolis’s most influential musicians
From the heart of the Minnesota blues comes the story of James “Cornbread” Harris Jr., the songwriter, pianist, and consummate bluesman whose seventy years making music helped to shape the Minneapolis Sound. “I am a blessed dude,” Cornbread tells Andrea Swensson, taking us along on his musical journey from a first “gig” entertaining his fellow soldiers during World War II to his subsequent years playing music for audiences across Minnesota. Following Cornbread’s extraordinary life story, Deeper Blues is a unique history of Minnesota music that evolves into a heartfelt tale of reconciliation and forgiveness, all to the tune of the legendary musician’s signature sound.
Cornbread’s career started in the 1950s, when he played with the Augie Garcia Quintet and cowrote their hit “Hi Ho Silver.” A tireless entertainer, he has been performing live ever since, influencing an entire generation of musicians credited with putting Minneapolis on the map in the 1980s—including his long-estranged son, Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III. Going beyond the music, Deeper Blues turns toward family, atonement, and peace when Cornbread reunites with Jimmy Jam after a five-decade separation and they perform together on stage.
Through conversations with Cornbread, Jimmy Jam, and many others, Swensson reveals a story of perseverance and unfailing grace, a firsthand account of making music in the face of racism and segregation, and a hard-won acceptance of the personal sacrifices that are often required when dedicating one’s life to making music. As the man himself says, “All of my hardships ended up to be blessings.”
A rich mix of present-day anecdotes and historical vignettes, animated by voices from Cornbread’s life and the Twin Cities music scene, underscored by the bluesman’s original lyrics of heartache and hope, and featuring never-before-seen photographs of Cornbread and Jimmy Jam, Deeper Blues tells a singular story—one imprinted on the history, heart, and soul of the Minneapolis Sound.
REVIEWS
"Andrea Swensson’s book on Minneapolis music icon Cornbread Harris is fascinating. He was a peer of my mother and father in the Minneapolis music scene, so this biography holds a special place in my heart. The music business isn’t for the faint of heart . . . but when it’s your calling like it is for Cornbread, you ‘get’ to spend your life healing people through your gift, no matter the personal cost. I’m honored to have recorded with him and to call his son, Jimmy Jam, my friend. A must read!"
—St. Paul Peterson
"In a crazy world without a road map, we’re all doing the best we can to reach a destination of peace that feels like home. Planting seeds that grow into a destiny greater than we could ever imagine for ourselves—just as Cornbread did for Jimmy Jam. What a beautiful thing to read this story of a father and son reuniting after years of separation to share their love of music again. Deeper Blues is a reminder that love and music are divine uniting forces that continue to heal us."
—Terry Lewis
"Any academic worth his or her salt could’ve dug up the requisite biographical facts. Andrea Swensson, in her signature style, affords personal, nonetheless professional, take on his fascinating career. All said, this is an invaluable opportunity to get a good look at Cornbread Harris."—Dwight Hobbes, The Alley / Blue Monday Monthly
"Clear-sighted about the challenge she finds herself at the centre of, Swensson writes with an emotional intelligence that allows her to tell the tale with both intimacy and respect."
—Jason Draper, Record Collector