ABSTRACT: 00:01 Allison Miner introduces the stage and then Leigh "Lil' Queenie" Harris. AM first heard of LH in 1976. AM tells a story about LH knocking on her door and asking AM’s husband to be in her band. 02:45 LH grew up in Old Metairie. She went to St. Martin for elementary school, then went to Mississippi for a few years, then graduated from Ridgewood in New Orleans. She says that her first musical memory was the stage production of Peter Pan. She also remembers hearing “Big Chief”when she was a child and that she remembers the Mardi Gras Indians in Bay St. Louis. 05:00 AM and LH discuss religion briefly. LH was not much of a singer while in school. She did sing at a folk festival at Tulane University – she sang Bob Dylan songs. She didn’t appear in public again until she was 20. 1977 she formed her band, but her first solo professional appearance was in 1975. They discuss the strengthen of musicians in the 1970s and the role of Tipitinas. Her first band (the Percolators) included John Magnie (current leader of the Subdudes) and many more that she does not name. 08:25 She worked at Kenny’s Castaways in New York City. AM discusses how people perceived LH as an “upstart” and an “instigator.” LH mentions that at the time she felt a lot of sadness, but now loves live and has found a partner who she loves. They have a 1981 45 album of “My Darlin’ New Orleans” – considered a theme song of New Orleans. A recording of the song is played. 16:31 AM introduces Amasa Miller on piano. LH announces that she is working on an album and Dr. John is helping her. She performs “Make me a Present of You.” 20:00 Amasa introduces the next song that they perform, “ The Healing.” After Amasa introduces a song that he wrote about James Booker, “Providence Provides.” 29:00 AM discusses the film Passion Fish and mentions that LH is an actress in the film. She was also in Eight Men Out. She talks about the difference between acting and performing music. She did some work with Michael Wolf, who was the musical director for the Arsenio Hall Show. MW got LH to LA to write music together. 33:30 Audience questions are opened. The working title for her upcoming album is Queen of Everything. LH performs Tom Wait’s “Shiver Me Timbers.” 39:30 AM promotes upcoming gigs. The audience begs for one more song. LH performs “Careless Love” and the interview is concluded.
