Story
Camille Harrison, an American singer-songwriter, hails from the country music capital of Nashville, Tennessee, and has also spent time in the vibrant musical hub of Memphis, Tennessee. Her natural talent for singing was evident from an early age, nurtured by performing in country music jamborees produced by her father, and singing church and classical pieces with her mother, a classical pianist.
Music was woven into the fabric of Camille's life from the very beginning. She developed a profound connection to it during her early years and credits her parents as her greatest influences. As a child, she studied piano and would sing every day after school, inspired by artists like Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Olivia Newton-John, Lily Pons, Ella Fitzgerald, Rickie Lee Jones, and Hank Williams, Jr. Her experiences as a state champion gymnast at age 12 and an award-winning dancer taught her the importance of discipline and striving for excellence to achieve her dreams. By the time Camille was twenty, her professional music career was on a fast track. She performed at numerous prestigious venues, including Mid-South Concerts, Memphis Country Jubilee, Millington Navy Base, the Orpheum, Mid-South Coliseum, and Beale Street nightspots.
She headlined the Memphis Symphony Orchestra's Sunset Symphony and Memphis in May Festivals for three consecutive years, toured Italy, and opened for legendary artists like Hank Williams, Jr., Conway Twitty, Dottie West, and Dolly Parton. Her role as Mabel in Pirates of Penzance deepened her appreciation for a wide range of musical genres. Her early recordings with pianist and producer Floyd Cramer at the iconic RCA Studios in Nashville led to her being featured in People Magazine. Carl Perkins, who happened to walk by the studio while Camille was recording, famously remarked, "Let that girl sing, and I predict she’ll soon be ‘Miss Camille,’ just like Dolly Parton is Miss Dolly. "During this time, Camille had offers to pursue classical music through vocal scholarships, but her passion for contemporary pop, jazz, and country music prevailed. She earned a BS in Music with an emphasis in jazz and invested in a home studio to continue writing, recording, and performing. Throughout college, she also mentored youth and participated in organizations like Young Life and Kanakuk Kanakomo Christian Sports Camp. After returning to Nashville, she quickly established herself as a session singer and performer at popular venues like Douglas Corner and Merchants.
Camille has produced numerous solo records and has written and co-written a wide array of songs. Her works include singer-song writer album When it Comes to Love, a traditional jazz album The Big Parade, a Christmas album Christmas with You, the semi-classical Christian piece When God Did Children Make, pop song The Jelly Bean Jar, several holiday single song releases such as In the Bleak Midwinter and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and most recently a piece she’d always wanted to record, America the Beautiful. She also co- wrote the Top 40 Billboard hit Standing Still by The Clark Family Experience. Camille has lent her voice to many recording sessions, including The Prince of Egypt soundtrack, and was the featured female singer on Hank Williams, Jr.’s The Blues Man for The Songs of Hank, Jr. She has also contributed backing vocals with artists like Chris LeDoux on One Road Man, and worked as a staff songwriter for Warner Chappell and others, earning accolades from organizations like the Memphis Songwriters Association. Notably, she has co-written songs with legendary song writer Merle Kilgore, known for Ring of Fire.
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While Harrison must have taken a considerable amount of time to write and produce the latest album project, Christmas with You, its’ timeless messages reminding us “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11) and are sure to inspire the hearts of many, she gives glory to the original Author. “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8). As running theme through Harrison’s life has now become her commitment to the welfare and well-being of our planet, humans and animals, Harrison’s Christmas record is comprised of profound messages in four original songs including Christmas Dreams Come True, Jesus the Good Shepherd, and Christmas with You in My Heart and four classics including medleys of Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming & O Little Town of Bethlehem, Christmas Dreams Come True / O Come All Ye Faithful, as well as Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella and What Child is This. Harrison is bringing into the world a new message of hope and experience for the holiday seasons on her new album, Christmas With You.
So, grab a cup of cinnamon tea while you decorate the tree, invite friends and maybe someone you haven’t seen in a while, and sing along and enjoy the fresh sounds soon to be on every listeners’ playlist, Christmas With You by Camille Harrison.