Long-time producer and rock and roll legend Jimmy "Jam" Harris and his partner Terry Lewis have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For Harris, the selection is unexpected and overwhelming.
To discuss the selection of a lifetime, Harris joined News Talk 830 WCCO's Chad Hartman, breaking down how he found out he was going to be in the hall of fame.
Harris shared that he found out by receiving an email telling him to call someone at the hall of fame. Not thinking much of it, he assumed the call was about something else.
"I thought that he was calling me about maybe doing something between the rock museum and the grammy museum or something like that, or maybe he wanted to try to get in touch with me about how to get in touch with somebody else who they were thinking of," Harris said. "I couldn't imagine what it possibly was."
But the call was a little bit more than just asking a favor or for a phone number.
"When he said, 'I was just calling to tell you that you guys are going to get in this year,'" Harris said. "I didn't even know that we were on the ballot or under consideration or anything."
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An experience that not many get, the Minneapolis native shared that it was "absolutely mind-blowing" to finally hear that he and his partner Lewis would be inducted into the hall of fame.
Harris and Lewis have an extensive list of accomplishments, including 41 U.S. top 10 hits, 31 U.K. top 10 hits, 5 Grammys, and a plethora more. But looking back at all of his achievements, this honor is like no other.
Harris shared that unlike an award like the Grammy's, there was no date set or build-up to the announcement. It just happened out of nowhere. Now, waiting for the ceremony, which takes place in November, there is no wonder if he won; he already knows the outcome.
"I'm sure I will go through a whole range of kinds of emotions and feelings and stuff," Harris said, adding he is feeling mostly joy and will probably see more emotions pop up as it gets closer.
For Harris, "music is the divine art" and has been the key to so much he has accomplished and been able to do in his life.
Looking back at his career and all he has accomplished and all he plans to accomplish, Harris is left feeling a sense of gratefulness as he says that music has done so much for his life.
"I feel so fortunate to be able to do music and so privileged to be able to do music and connect people together," Harris said.
When looking at the long list of artists and musicians being honored this year, Harris shared that being named with his partner is the cherry on top.
"The great thing about us being on there is that it's the two of us," Harris said. "It's Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. We're a team, and that's the best thing about it."
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