Corey Harris is one of blues' most faithful contemporary griots. Tracing the music back to its African roots, he has trekked all over the world to share these stories in song and in 2007 was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship Genius grant for unearthing and sharing that rich, connected history.

2025 October 11 - Saturday - 7:30 PM
WV Culture Center Theater
Charleston WV

Corey Harris began his career as a New Orleans street singer, travelling throughout the southern U.S. In his early twenties, he lived in Cameroon, West Africa for a year, and traveled the continent extensively, which had a profound effect on his later work. 

Harris has recorded many old songs of the blues tradition while also creating an original vision of the blues by adding influences from reggae, soul, rock and West African music. His 1995 recording, 'Between Midnight and Day', is a tribute to the tradition of acoustic blues.

Subsequent recordings, such as 'Greens From the Garden' (1999), 'Mississippi to Mali' (2003), and 'Daily Bread' (2005) show his maturation from interpreter to songwriter. 

Some of his imaginative compositions are marked by a deliberate eclecticism; other works stay true to the traditional blues formula of compelling vocals and down-home guitar. With one foot in tradition and the other in contemporary experimentation, his is a truly unique voice in contemporary music.

He has performed, recorded, and toured with many of the top names in music such as BB King, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy, R.L.Burnside, Ali Farka Toure, Dave Matthews Band, Tracy Chapman, Olu Dara, Wilco, and others. His recent recordings include Fulton Blues (2014), The Insurrection Blues (2021) and Chicken Man (2024).

Youtube channel: youtube.com/channel/UCrnNfLhi06QMkpLMkljfC7w