George "Harmonica Red" Heard- Harmonicas, Lead and Background Vocals;
Erik Shields- Drums/Background and lead Vocals;Lindsay Olive- Guitars;
Micheal McKenney- Bass and Vocals
Influences
Harmonica Red- "I was always drawn to great musicians. In my early years, before I started playing music, it was The Beatles and The Beach Boys. When I actually started playing harmonica, I was already listening to The J. Geils Band, Yes, War, Deep Purple, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Miles Davis... Older guys that I was playing with then told me to listen to Little Walter, "Toots" Theilmand, Larry Adler, Charlie McCoy- all the Greats! After them, I couldn't find any harmonica players that "did it" for me, so I listened to pedal steel guitar players, horn players, pianists, guitar players, bassists- any musicians that "spoke" to me. I tried to emulate and incorporate them into my playing. To read more, read my “My Influences” Blog!
Sounds Like
"Cosmic Swamp Rock":
The Meters meet Muddy Waters meets Tony Joe White meets Little Feat meets Mile Davis meets Leon Russell meets The J. Giles Band...
All you really need to know about these guys is their fanatical following of "Harp Heads" number in the thousands and drive hundreds of miles to get a serving of Harmonica Red and The New Heard's "Cosmic Swamp Rock." Harmonica Red and The New Heard will be on the road coast-to-coast for 200+ days this year in support of his 4 CDs- "Harmonica Red- Vol. 1," "Louisiana Swamp Blues," "Even Trolls Love Rock and Roll," and the new release on Paid Records, "I Was Born In Louisiana."
George Heard, aka Harmonica Red, is a legendary live performer and international recording artist who has performed with, toured with and recorded with some of the true heavyweights of the Blues, Jazz, Country and Rock worlds, including such diverse artists as Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Little Feat, Lee Oskar and WAR, Zachary Richard, The Meters, Rockin' Doopsie, Jr., Robert Jr. Lockwood, Larry Garner, Chris Thomas King, Dr. John, Asleep At The Wheel, Commander Cody, Jimmy Vevino, Bruce Daigrepont, Clarence Edwards, Rudy Richard, Jeff Foxworthy, David Alan Coe, and of course his 5+ years, 3 CDs and 1 DVD with Big Al and The Heavyweights.
To get his unique and extraordinary sound, Red stacks his Lee Oskar Harmonicas on top of one another, "two or three at a time, sliding between them [to get] notes you can't make on a single diatonic [harmonica]..." (Wavelength Magazine). Perhaps that is why Bill Levine of the Nashville Scene said of his performance on the new Big Al CD "Nothin' But Good Lovin'" "...Harmonica Red (George Heard), who plays the mouth organ as if he's either reaching for the vault of a funky cathederal or luring the damned out of a deep circle of hell." Thomas J. Cullen of The Baltimore Blues Society Newsletter says, "...his scintillating harp work is often the center of musical attention. Not only can he sound like an accordian (a requirement for this band), he can wail like Sonny Boy II and soar like Little Walter. He's also a dynamic live performer who's been known to walk the bar on a few occasions." Of a recent performance at the Boulder Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jason Bracelin of the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote "If it sounds like three harmonica players wailing away at the same time when Harmonica Red performs, it's for good reason: the firey mouhharp specialist stacks up several instruments, playing two or three at a time. The result is a wild, unbounded sound that redefines the parameters of the blues. As a blues harmonicist, Harmonica Red has many contemporaries but few peers.
Summing it up, Shawn Ryan of The Birmingham News says, "...blows a big head of steam from his harmonica, but aso has a good voice and a wonderful stage persona to match."
Harmonica Red and The New Heard- not only are they exceptional musicians; they are WORLD CLASS entertainers who know how to make an EVENT that will be talked about for months, out of a gig. PREPARE FOR HARP-DRIVE!
To Book Harmonica Red and The New Heard, contact:
Blues Boys and Divas Talent
Harty Wiedemann, TA733
P.O.Box 38519
Tallahassee, Fl. 32315
Phone: 850.875.2587
Fax: 850.627.8127
or
hrbooking@earthlink.net
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
Vote Now by clicking Here: SouthbayMusicAwards!
Due partly to the success of “I Was Born In Louisiana” as well as the band’s top 10 finish in the International Blues Foundation's “Best Self Produced CD” competition, worldwide airplay, and the hard touring schedule in 2007 and 2008, Harmonica Red and The New Heard have been nominated for the 5th annual South Bay Music Awards in Los Angles, Ca. in the “Best Blues Band” category. This is a fan voted awards program and anyone can vote ONCE! Please help support our favorite Harmonica Pal and his hard working band by using this link and voting! Please visit: www.southbaymusicawards/nominees.php (or click here: SouthbayMusicAwards!to cast your vote!
Blues Foundation Announcement! "I Was Born In Louisiana" Among 10 Semi-Finalists for "Best Self Produced CD!"
HELLO MY FRIEND! HOPING THIS FINDS YOU WELL TODAY! LOOKING TO SEE YOUR SCHEDULE FOR LOUISVILLE AREA FOR THE WINTER! GOTTA GET DOWN YOUR WAY SOON!! TAKE CARE RED, MARK
Hey Bud, just wanted to say Hi & also God Bless Clarence Edwards! Just thought that ya might want to read this.?! "Swamp Blues guitarist Clarence Edwards died on this day in 1993 in Baton Rouge,LA. Edwards was a Swamp-Blues veteran who was re-discovered in the 90s after a long absence from recording.Edwards began playing guitar at age 12 by listening to old Charlie Patton records.He began to play the Louisiana Blues circuit while in his 20s.He recorded with his brother Cornelius and Swamp-Blues fiddle player Butch Cage in 1959 and 1960.He spent the next 25 years farming,content to play on the porch for friends.He re-emerged when Louisiana Bluesman Tabby Thomas began to feature Edwards in his club The Blues Box.Tabby helped Edwards get bookings on the festival circuit,which led to recording opportunities. Edwards recorded his first full-length album "Swamp..s The Word", released on CD on the Red Lightnin.. label,in 1990.In 1991 he released "Swampin" on New Rose.In 1994 Wolf Records released "Louisiana Swamp Blues".Edwards early recordings are on "Louisianna Blues" on Arhoolie. Clarence Edwards died in 1993,just as he was gaining deserved recognition."
Hello Red! How are the harps hangin today? Still trying to make it to KY to have another listen to the World's Greatest Harp Player:):):):) Can't wait for another live listen to you!!!
HOPING THIS FINDS YOU WELL TODAY RED!! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU PERFORM AGAIN SOON!!! KEEP ON JAMMIN MAN!! A SHOT OF YOUR BAND ON THE RIVER IN LOUISVILLE......
Harmonica Red, wow it's been some years since we rocked Baton Rouge together. You still sound great and maybe, like a fine wine, even better! Keep on rockin and I hope our paths cross again. peace, Johnny
Due partly to the success of “I Was Born In Louisiana” as well as the band’s top 10 finish in the International Blues Foundation's “Best Self Produced CD” competition, worldwide airplay, and the hard touring schedule in 2007 and 2008, Harmonica Red and The New Heard have been nominated for the 5th annual South Bay Music Awards in Los Angles, Ca. in the “Best Blues Band” category. This is a fan voted awards program and anyone can vote ONCE! Please help support our favorite Harmonica Pal and his hard working band by using this link and voting! Please visit: www.southbaymusicawards/nominees.php (or click here: 
Hope your weekend ROCKS 
