Sugarcane Harris and the PFDA

[57 Years of Music Part One]

Meeting the great Sugarcane Harris was pretty strange. He had a “do”, that is, his hair was straightened, making him look more Hispanic than Black. At the first rehearsal, Don’s hair was back to afro. Paul asked his “What happened to your do?” to which Don replied, “It turned into a muthafuckin’ don’t!”

Don had freckles and was light-skinned. It was rumored that he had an Irish grandfather. I later met his mother, an educated and totally charming woman who long-endured Don’s “shortcomings” that were…