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Sam Harris (singer)
Encyclopedia
Sam Harris is an American
pop
and musical theatre
recording artist
as well as a television
, stage and film
actor
.
in its premiere season. He gained acclaim and became best known for his winning rendition of the song "Over the Rainbow
" on the show. "Over the Rainbow" has since become his signature song. His appearance on Star Search led to him landing a contract with Motown Records
. His first single, "Sugar Don't Bite," was a Top 40 hit
, reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in 1984
. He is a multi-million selling recording artist with nine studio albums to his credit. He can also be heard on numerous concert, guest artist and cast recordings. He has toured extensively in concert and has played to sold-out audiences at major venues including New York's Carnegie Hall
, Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater and London
's West End. He has appeared with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra, at the White House and has sung on a variety of television specials and live productions. On February 12, 2008, he released a new single entitled "War on War" that became an internet phenom with music videos made by the general public. The song became a part of his album, "Free," which was released that summer. The single "Change Is On The Way" was written to support the Obama campaign and was heard on numerous television shows and behind internet videos around the time of the election. In 2010, Sam wrote and released "My Reclamation" - which has become the anthem for marriage equality.
, and a Drama League Award as well as Tony, Outer Critic's Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations for his work in Cy Coleman's Tony nominated musical The Life
. He's also appeared on Broadway in Mel Brooks' Tony Award winning musical The Producers
, in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
, and in the musicals Jesus Christ Superstar
, Cabaret
, Hair
, and Pippin
. He also starred in self-penned shows Hardcopy, Different Hats, Revival and his critically acclaimed show, SAM. Harris' most recent theatrical outing was the film-to-musical adaptation of The First Wives Club
seen in a limited run at San Diego's The Old Globe Theatre in the summer of 2009.
(2005, as himself) and "Elena Undone
" (2010 as Tyler)
(1984, which ran for 4 years and 104 episodes). He was a series regular on The Class (2006-2007 - Perry Pearl). Harris is also credited on "Rules of Engagement," (Jackie, recurring, 2009), The Wayne Brady Show
(2003 - Actor, 1 episode) and the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2001, music supervisor). He has also appeared on numerous talk shows including The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1997 and 2000 - 3 episodes), the Tonight Show (1994 - 1 episode), Brunch as a co-host (2006 - 1 episode), the Oprah Winfrey Show (1997 and 2001 - two episodes), Dr. Phil
s 500th episode (2005), The View (2007 - 1 episode), "The Tyra Banks Show
" (2010), "The Dr. Drew Show" (2011).
Harris told in an interview with The Advocate
in 2004 that he is a recovering alcoholic.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
recording artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
as well as a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, stage and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Singing
Harris got his start as the grand champion of Star SearchStar Search
Star Search is a television show that was produced from 1983-95, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2003-04. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd...
in its premiere season. He gained acclaim and became best known for his winning rendition of the song "Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
" on the show. "Over the Rainbow" has since become his signature song. His appearance on Star Search led to him landing a contract with Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. His first single, "Sugar Don't Bite," was a Top 40 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
. He is a multi-million selling recording artist with nine studio albums to his credit. He can also be heard on numerous concert, guest artist and cast recordings. He has toured extensively in concert and has played to sold-out audiences at major venues including New York's Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End. He has appeared with the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra, at the White House and has sung on a variety of television specials and live productions. On February 12, 2008, he released a new single entitled "War on War" that became an internet phenom with music videos made by the general public. The song became a part of his album, "Free," which was released that summer. The single "Change Is On The Way" was written to support the Obama campaign and was heard on numerous television shows and behind internet videos around the time of the election. In 2010, Sam wrote and released "My Reclamation" - which has become the anthem for marriage equality.
Stage
On Broadway, he received a Drama Desk nomination for his role in the Tommy Tune-directed revival of GreaseGrease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
, and a Drama League Award as well as Tony, Outer Critic's Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations for his work in Cy Coleman's Tony nominated musical The Life
The Life (musical)
The Life is a musical with a book by David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman, music by Coleman, and lyrics by Gasman.Based on an original idea by Gasman, the show explores the underbelly of Times Square's 42nd Street, inhabited by pimps and prostitutes, druggies and dealers, and runaways and street...
. He's also appeared on Broadway in Mel Brooks' Tony Award winning musical The Producers
The Producers (musical)
The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics written by Brooks and music composed by Brooks and arranged by Glen Kelly and Doug Besterman. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich...
, in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
, and in the musicals Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
, Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
, Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
, and Pippin
Pippin (musical)
Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto...
. He also starred in self-penned shows Hardcopy, Different Hats, Revival and his critically acclaimed show, SAM. Harris' most recent theatrical outing was the film-to-musical adaptation of The First Wives Club
The First Wives Club
The First Wives Club is a 1996 comedy film, based on the best-selling 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. Narrated by Diane Keaton, it stars Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler as three divorced women who seek revenge on their husbands who left them for younger women...
seen in a limited run at San Diego's The Old Globe Theatre in the summer of 2009.
Films
Harris has appeared in three feature films to date - In the Weeds (2000, as Jonathan), the documentary Little ManLittle Man (film)
Little Man is a 2006 American comedy film, directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. It stars Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kerry Washington, and Tracy Morgan. Little Man was released on DVD on November 7, 2006.- Plot :...
(2005, as himself) and "Elena Undone
Elena Undone
Elena Undone is a 2010 LGBT film written and directed by Nicole Conn.-Plot:Elena Winters , a mother and a pastor's wife, and Peyton Lombard , a well-known lesbian writer, are two different personalities...
" (2010 as Tyler)
Television
Harris co-created the television series Down to EarthDown to Earth (TV series)
Down to Earth was an American fantasy situation comedy series that ran on Superstation TBS from 1984 to 1987. It was produced by Procter & Gamble Productions and was the superstation's first original series.-Premise:...
(1984, which ran for 4 years and 104 episodes). He was a series regular on The Class (2006-2007 - Perry Pearl). Harris is also credited on "Rules of Engagement," (Jackie, recurring, 2009), The Wayne Brady Show
The Wayne Brady Show
The Wayne Brady Show was a variety show hosted by Wayne Brady that originally ran from August 8, 2001 to March 11, 2002 on ABC. Due to low ratings, the show was cancelled by ABC and reformatted into a daytime variety talk show for syndication...
(2003 - Actor, 1 episode) and the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2001, music supervisor). He has also appeared on numerous talk shows including The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1997 and 2000 - 3 episodes), the Tonight Show (1994 - 1 episode), Brunch as a co-host (2006 - 1 episode), the Oprah Winfrey Show (1997 and 2001 - two episodes), Dr. Phil
Dr. Phil (TV series)
Dr. Phil is a reality/talk television show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002...
s 500th episode (2005), The View (2007 - 1 episode), "The Tyra Banks Show
The Tyra Banks Show
The Tyra Banks Show, also known as and shortened to Tyra or The Tyra Show, is an American talk show hosted by Tyra Banks. The last new episode aired on Friday, May 28, 2010.-2005-2009: Syndication:...
" (2010), "The Dr. Drew Show" (2011).
Personal life
Harris and Danny Jacobsen, who is a director and presentation coach for numerous Blue Chip companies and also film producer, have been together since 1994. They adopted a son, Cooper Atticus Harris-Jacobsen, in April 2008 and the couple married on November 1, 2008.Harris told in an interview with The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
in 2004 that he is a recovering alcoholic.