#14 Keith Harris OBE

Today's guest is Keith Harris, OBE. Keith began his career as a song plugger, getting records played on the radio at Translantic Records and EMI, where he became General Manager of Motown in the UK. It was doing that job that he met Stevie Wonder who asked Keith to be part of his management team - which he continues to be to this day.

Alongside his management career, Keith lectured on the music business as a Senior Fellow at the University Of Westminsterand has led many industry organisations and initiatives including the Music Managers Forum.

Keith's career has been punctuated by many remarkable achievements and it's all the more impressive because of the prejudice that he has suffered throughout his life.

Born to West African parents in the North of England, he experienced racism on a regular and repeated basis, not least during his early days in the music industry. His response was "Don't be bitter, be better" and he became, as Billboard described him, "a tireless campaigner for equal opportunities".

More than anything, Keith is one of the most respected and widely liked people in the music industry. He has some fantastic advice for people starting out in it which he shares in this interview.

Keith was awarded the OBE in 2015 and in 2021 was elected Rector of Dundee University.

Keith talks about managing Stevie Wonder, overcoming racial prejudice, teaching the business of music & why this is the most exciting time to be entering the music industry since the 1960's.

He wrote an open letter to the music industry on racism which you can find here.

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