Miami Living Magazine features the best Miami has to offer. Click on any magazine below and enjoy. You can download our free app on iTunes. Ideal for iPad and iPhone users.
Issue link: https://digital.miamilivingmagazine.com/i/810282
HARRY ON MUSIC, SINATRA, AND WHAT HE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT Who has inspired your music? "Lots of people. Growing up in New Orleans, there were local musicians that you probably never heard of. Some you have, like Louis Armstrong and Professor Longhair and Neville Brothers, a lot of people from New Orleans that I love. And then there's everybody else, like Freddie Mercury or Frank Sinatra or Judy Garland or Steve Perry in Journey. It's countless, man." Is there anyone you've met where you were like, Wow, I admire your work so much! "Oh sure! You know the band Queen? They did 'We Are the Champions.' The guitar player with Queen, his name is Brian May, he's a legendary guitar player. When I met him, I was star stuck. Or Jimmy Page, who plays guitar with Led Zeppelin or when I met Frank Sinatra. These are people that changed the course of music. That's incredible. Their contribution, actually, had they not been around, music would be in a different place. So, when you meet people like Frank Sinatra, it's pretty intense." I read about how you met Sinatra. Tell me about that story. "In a nutshell, he knew who I was, but it wasn't like we were friends. So, he got into an elevator with his wife and I got on with Jill,'cause I saw them going on the elevator and I wanted to go talk to him. The elevator was going up and I said, 'Hey Mr. Sinatra, I'm a big fan.' Whatever I said, I can't remember what I said. The elevator doors open on his floor, he's about to get off and he didn't say anything to me, but he looked at Jill, kinda held her face in his hands, said she was beautiful and kissed her right on the mouth and walked out. I'm like, OK." We both laugh. He didn't say anything to you? "Not a word. His wife did. She said, 'Frank, this is Harry. He's a singer.' He didn't care. He saw Jill. I don't blame him. I would've done the same thing." What is something material you can't live without? "I love gadgets. I love my phone. I love my computer. I like playing games on my phone. And it's also part of my work. On my computer, I'm able to write, watch things, listen to things. I'm a gadget freak. I like any kind of electronics –whatever's the latest and greatest thing."