Kodac Harrison, 60, finds success on his own terms

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Here, in his own words, is his story.-

I grew up in Jackson, Ga., and my first influences came from Macon - Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers. I was a first lieutenant in the Army right after Vietnam, and training was cut back so I had plenty of time to play guitar and to read. I discovered John Steinbeck, who became my favorite author. My first professional gig was at a place called East of Eden in Salinas, California, about two months after I got out of the Army.-

I moved up to a communal community in West Virginia and continued to play guitar. For several years I went back and forth between Georgia and West Virginia, but often felt isolated and longed for the excitement of the city. I moved up to New York City for awhile, and down in the Village a club owner told me I should put together a band and record an album. I knew I would have an easier time doing that in Atlanta, so I moved back and recorded my first album in 1984.-

I wanted to be a rock star, and pursued that until twenty years ago this past March. I got involved in a recording project ... and discovered that the deal was not what I had understood it to be. I hadn’t signed anything, but this recording was good and finished. I agonized over this. I could not stand the thought of compromising my principles. I hated myself for getting into this situation; I was torn.