Take the influences of Peter Green, Eric Clapton and ZZ-Top, mix them with Hendrix, Joe Walsh and Bad Company, you'll have the heartbeat of a Penitentiary Lifer in the music produced from a prison cell between 2011-2017. This is the best of S.A. Harris.

Best of S.A. Harris: Blues from Cell Block D (At the Oregon State Penitentiary) is exactly what you're gonna hear on this album. It's not often that you can get a recording that was approved to release from a prison, but I was one of a small group that was allowed to compose and record from my prison cell at the Oregon State Penitentiary.

I was able to get authorization to have a BOSS BR-80 Multi-Track Recorder and DAW in 2011, it was the size of a pack of smokes, but it allowed me 8-tracks and 64-virtual tracks of storable stem tracks to build each song one track at a time. I could not have done this without it! from 2011 until 2017 I learned how to be every band member. how a Drummer would play to my compositions, how a Bass player would interpret his part, build Keyboard parts, Lead guitar parts etc. it was a wonderful experience and I had a small window of time to compose and produce music from behind the concrete walls of OSP and I am proud of what I accomplished.

In early 2017 I was transferred out of the Maximum-Security Oregon State Penitentiary and moved to the Medium Security Two Rivers Correctional Institution. This place was having no part in allowing me to record anything, so I had to send everything home and accept that It was all over. I was blessed to have a few musicians that I played music with at OSP let me put them on a few songs, C. Hawkins, M. Leverett & J. Rhoades. I'll have those memories for the rest of my life. I also collaborated on writing "Freedom Bound" with a well-known musician named Bobby Beausoleil, once featured in Guitar Player Magazine as one of the Top-50 weirdest guitar players in the world.

I would keep writing and recording songs if I could, but I'm glad to have been able to publish what I have. I lost my only son to suicide on Dec. 23, 2018, he was 26 years old. I'll never know what went so wrong for him to take his own life, but his death will haunt me for the rest of my days. I miss you Michael! I dedicate this album to Michael Alexander Harris 1992 - 2018. 

Sincerely,
​S.A. Harris

​I just released the single "I Wanted Whiskey" on 3-16 and I'm working on a project for later this summer. I'm still trying to get back on my feet after my only son committed suicide. I find that it's easier if I stay busy. Those of you who don't know, I'm 28 yrs. into a life sentence in the Oregon Dept. of Corrections.

Why did I choose to be a songwriter? To be totally honest, I did it because I wanted my son to have something positive to tell his children and grandchildren about his father. Telling them I was a musical recording artist would be a lot better than telling them that I was serving a life sentence in prison. Given the circumstances I wanted my son to be proud of me, right?

I recorded a Blues-Rock catalog of over 40 songs between 2011 & 2017 while sitting in a Prison cell at the Oregon State Penitentiary with nothing but a guitar and a calculator size multi-track recorder. With the exception of a few guest musicians I played music with:

Bobby Beausoleil (Drunken 6-String Blues, Red House & Freedom Bound)
Marc Leverett (Sanitation Man)
Jon Rhoads (The Wind Cries Mary)
Christian Hawkins (The Wind Cries Mary, Feather Bed, Gonna Ride & Jumping at Shadows)
David Michaels (Penitentiary Blues Jam & Who Do You Love)

Music has been my life for over 44 yrs. I play because I'm passionate about music. I hope you enjoy my music, it's out there for the world to enjoy.

Sincerely,
S.A. Harris

2018 has been a very interesting time in my life. I turned 50 years old in May and with the death of my brother Patrick Harris and sister Linda Seaver McMillen in 2017, I realize that 50% of my immediate family did not survive to see my 50th birthday. What makes this so difficult for me is that I was locked up 27 years ago and lost the family connection and closeness that the normal family has between them. This has troubled me more and more over the years. Time stops for no one and it always seems to go by way to fast when we take it for granted.

I released my first musical composition in 2013 in the form of a ten-song album that was created inside a prison cell at the Oregon State Penitentiary. I created and performed every part of the album one track at a time. My first album was titled "Funny Farm" by Shawn A. Harris. I then composed a second album from the very same prison cell in 2014, titled "Steel Horse" by S.A. Harris I invited three fellow musicians to be featured guests. I also added four cover songs: "Red House", "Blue Jean Blues", "The Wind Cries Mary" & "Sultans of Swing". I have to say that two of the coolest moments in my life were when I got a "Thumbs Up" from Dire Straits on Twitter and then was invited to contribute to the Jimi Hendrix "VooDoo Child interactive exhibit" honoring those of us who have been influenced by Jimi's music.

In 2016 from the same prison cell, I released "Blues De'Ville" by S.A. Harris. This album features my best vocal work and a more refined sound yet and I am very proud of it. Unfortunately, in December 2016 my world was turned upside down when I was brutally attacked twice in three days that left me with a head injury that still affects me to this day. This caused me to be transferred from the facility I had spent 25 years in, to a new facility known as the "Two Rivers Correctional Institution" nearly 250 miles across the state.

Since I have been here, I have fought with the facility to be allowed to continue composing music as Oregon Administrative Rule 291.119 authorize me opportunity to do, but T.R.C.I. refuses to allow me to do so (even though I have not had any Major Misconduct reports in 26 years). They have an issue with allowing a recording device in the facility... I ask, if I can have the recorder in a Maximum-security Penitentiary in Oregon, why would a Medium security prison have an issue with it? As of October 2018, I am currently appealing my case and hope to be able to continue to compose and publish music, but it's not looking good.

I've released a few singles from my albums to promote my music while awaiting my appeals and seem to be seeing a spike in attention from France in the last month. I hope it is the blessing of a hit song! I live a difficult life and music is what keeps me going! I pray that music fans around the world will support my music and help keep the Blues alive! ~ S.A. Harris 2018has been a very interesting time in my life. I turned 50 years old in May and with the death of my brother Patrick Harris and sister Linda Seaver McMillen in 2017, I realize that 50% of my immediate family did not survive to see my 50th birthday. What makes this so difficult for me is that I was locked up 27 years ago and lost the family connection and closeness that the normal family has between them. This has troubled me more and more over the years. Time stops for no one and it always seems to go by way to fast when we take it for granted.

I released my first musical composition in 2013 in the form of a ten-song album that was created inside a prison cell at the Oregon State Penitentiary. I created and performed every part of the album one track at a time. My first album was titled "Funny Farm" by Shawn A. Harris. I then composed a second album from the very same prison cell in 2014, titled "Steel Horse" by S.A. Harris I invited three fellow musicians to be featured guests. I also added four cover songs: "Red House", "Blue Jean Blues", "The Wind Cries Mary" & "Sultans of Swing". I have to say that two of the coolest moments in my life were when I got a "Thumbs Up" from Dire Straits on Twitter and then was invited to contribute to the Jimi Hendrix "Voodoo Child interactive exhibit" honoring those of us who have been influenced by Jimi's music.

In 2016 from the same prison cell, I released "Blues De'Ville" by S.A. Harris. This album features my best vocal work and a more refined sound yet and I am very proud of it. Unfortunately, in December 2016 my world was turned upside down when I was brutally attacked twice in three days that left me with a head injury that still affects me to this day. This caused me to be transferred from the facility I had spent 25 years in, to a new facility known as the "Two Rivers Correctional Institution" nearly 250 miles across the state.

Since I have been here, I have fought with the facility to be allowed to continue composing music as Oregon Administrative Rule 291.119 authorize me opportunity to do, but T.R.C.I. refuses to allow me to do so (even though I have not had any Major Misconduct reports in 26 years). They have an issue with allowing a recording device in the facility... I ask, if I can have the recorder in a Maximum-security Penitentiary in Oregon, why would a Medium security prison have an issue with it? As of October 2018, I am currently appealing my case and hope to be able to continue to compose and publish music, but it's not looking good.

I've released a few singles from my albums to promote my music while awaiting my appeals and seem to be seeing a spike in attention from France in the last month. I hope it is the blessing of a hit song! I live a difficult life and music is what keeps me going! I pray that music fans around the world will support my music and help keep the Blues alive! ~ S.A. Harris
 

Check out S.A. Harris' New Release Gonna Ride! 

A single off the album, Blues De'Ville, featuring piano/harmony by Christian Hawkins, a talented singer and musician, and lead guitar by Marc Leverett, a friend and fiery guitar slinger who has blessed me with some outstanding riffage.