Billboard Magazine ran mini-biographies from 1959 into the early 1960’s sometimes providing us with interesting tidbits – Each biography was generally tied to a current release on behalf of the artist

Wilbert Harrison Spotlight: (“Kansas City”)

Charted Number 1 Hot 100 & Number 1 R&B – April, 1959

Wilbert Harrison was born Wilbert Huntington Harrison in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1929.

Harrison was the beneficiary of a Jerry Leiber – Mike Stoller composition which was dusted off from their first effort in 1952 which they composed when they were 18 years old.  The song was “K.C. Loving” and was first recorded by Little Willie Littlefield.  Ironically, the original title actually was “Kansas City” but a disagreement between the two teenage composers resulted in the name change.

Now, moving ahead to 1959, Harrison recalled the earlier song from 1952 and wanted to recut it – but elected to revert to the original title.  Wilbert made an excellent choice giving us an all-time classic.  The record was released by a Harlem record store owner and founder of the Fury Record label, Bobby Robinson.

Harrison’s former record label, Savoy, where he recorded six singles released in September, 1954 thru 1959,  hit Robinson with a lawsuit saying they still owned Harrison’s contract.  During the litigation which went on for several months, Harrison and Robinson were prevented from issuing any further Harrison Fury releases.  Finally, in late 1959, the Savoy contract expired and Robinson began issuing additional Harrison singles but to no avail.  There would not be another Fury Harrison hit record.

Harrison would have to wait nearly a decade for another decent hit recording and it would come in the form of another ‘dusted off’ song – first recorded in 1962 titled “Let’s Stick Together” written by Wilbert.  The song appeared on two different Fury 45’s – the first released in December of 1961 and then again in April of 1962. “Let’s Work Together Part 1” would go to number 32 on the Hot 100 in early 1970 released in July of 1969.

Later in 1970, Canned Heat would better Harrison taking the song to number 26 on the Hot 100.  Neither version would make it to the R&B charts.

Harrison’s limited chart success after Kansas City wasn’t due to not trying.  Over the years he would cut nearly three dozen singles.  He toured extensively with a backing band called “The Roamers”.

“Kansas City” was awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame honor in 2001 and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll” well deserved.  Harrison was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.  Harrison was a prolific composer, writing many/most of the tracks that he recorded over the years.

He passed away in 1994 while residing in a nursing home in the town of Spencer, North Carolina in 1994 at the age of 65.

Wilbert Harrison Discography

45 – Savoy 1138 – Don’t Drop It b/w The Ways Of A Woman – September, 1954

45 – Savoy 1164 – Darling, Listen To This Song b/w Florida Special – July, 1955

45 – Savoy 626 – Calypso Man b/w Cool Water – 1956

45 – Savoy 1196 – Confessin’ My Dream b/w The Way I Feel – August, 1956

45 – Savoy 1517 – My Love Is True b/w I Know My Baby Loves Me – July, 1957

45 – Glades 603 – Gonna Tell You A Story b/w Letter Edged In Black – February, 1959

45 – Fury 1023 – Kansas City Number 1 Hot 100 for 2 Weeks – Number 1 R&B for 7 Weeks b/w Listen, My Darling – March,1959

45 – Savoy 1571 – Don’t Drop It b/w Baby Don’t You Know – June,1959

45 – Fury 1027 – Cheating Baby b/w Don’t Wreck My Life – December, 1959

45 – Fury 1028 – Goodbye Kansas City Number 102 Bubbling Under Charts b/w 1960 – January, 1960

45 – Fury 1031 – C. C. Rider b/w Why Did You Leave – June, 1960

45 – Fury 1037 – Little School Girl b/w Since I Fell For You – October, 1960

45 – Fury 1041 – The Horse b/w Da-De-Ya-Da (Anything For You) – November, 1960

45 – Fury 1047 – Happy In Love b/w Calypso Dance – April, 1961

45 – Neptune 123 – Off To Work Again Number 114 Bubbling Under Charts b/w After Graduation – May, 1961

45 – Fury 1055 – Drafted b/w My Heart Is Yours – October, 1961

45 – Fury 1059 – Kansas City Twist b/w Let’s Stick Together – December, 1961

45 – Fury 1063 – Let’s Stick Together b/w My Heart Is Yours – April, 1962

45 – Doc 1001 – by Wilbert Harrison and His Kansas City Playboys – Off To School Again b/w Broke – October, 1962

45 – Sea-Horn 502 – Near To You Number 39 R&B – Number 118 Bubbling Under Charts b/w Say It Again – August, 1963

45 – Constellation 122 – New York World’s Fair b/w Mama, Mama, Mama – May, 1964

45 – Billy Carr – The Wheeler Dealers 504 – Clementeen – 1964

45 – Sphere Sound 700 – My Love b/w Messed Around (And Fell In Love) – March, 1965

45 – Vest 8006 – Poison Ivy b/w Please Forgive Me – June, 1965

(“Lieber” spelled incorrectly)

45 – Port 3003 – You’re Still My Baby b/w Baby Move On – July, 1965

45 – Port 3009 – Sugar Lump b/w Don’t Take It So Hard – November, 1965

45 – Fury 5001 – (If Women Are) Trouble b/w Let’s Have Some Fun – September, 1966

45 – Deesu 301 – Clementine b/w Sentimental Journey – June, 1966

45 – Roulette 4752 – (as “Wilburt Kansas City Harrison”) – Mini Parade b/w No Ones Love But Yours – July, 1967

45 – Sue 11 – Let’s Work Together Part 1 Number 32 Hot 100 b/w Let’s Work Together Part 2 – July, 1969

45 – Raful Neal – Whit 6901 – Let’s Work Together – September, 1969

45 – Canned Heat – Liberty 56151 – Let’s Work Together – Number 26 Hot 100 – Number 2 UK – February, 1970

45 – SSS International  830 – My Heart Is Yours Number 98 Hot 100 b/w Pretty Little Woman – February, 1971

45 – Juggernaut 405 – Shoot You Full Of Love b/w Pretty Little Women – February, 1971

45 – Hot 101 – Get It While You Can b/w Amen – July, 1972

45 – Brunswick 55511 – Lovin’ Operator b/w Love You – April, 1974

45 – Brunswick 55519 – I Need Some Money b/w Goin’ Home – 1975

45 – Bryan Ferry – Atlantic 3351 – Let’s Stick Together – Number 4 UK – July, 1976

45 – Fury 6000 – (Just Got To Have Some) Money Honey vocal b/w instrumental – 1976

45 – Dwight Yoakam – Reprise 19148 – Let’s Work Together – November, 1991

45 – George Thorogood and the Destroyers – EMI Special Markets 18489 – Let’s Work Together – 1995

45 – John and Ed Strickland – Rebel 2665 – Kansas City Blues – Year Unknown

(Members of “The Rebels Three”)