Thomas Harrison, Ph.D.

Dr. Harrison holds credits as a guitarist, producer and recording engineer, and is active as both as a musicologist and composer of music for the concert hall. His musicological research interests focus on hard rock and heavy metal of the 1980s, and the role of recording producers in the making of specific albums. He has delivered academic papers internationally, and is the author of Van Halen: The Music and the Fans 1978-1986 (Pearson), Preparing the Commercial Guitarist (Cheeky Chappy Music), Living on a Prayer (Kendall Hunt) two titles from the series American History Through Music, Music of the 1980s and Music of the 1990s (Greenwood Press) in addition to features in academic journals.  Dr. Harrison was the bassist for Reindeer Recording Artists Jynx, and gained an endorsement with Fender Guitars as a result of his successful Denver based group Dogs of Pleasure. Harrison recently completed a new recording, Fluid Rhythm for  Dolphinum Records, and also served as producer/engineer. He has worked with noted multi-platinum producers, including Geoff Workman, Michael Wagener, Ric Browde and Greg D'Angelo, as an artist, engineer and/or second engineer. He also contributed backing vocals on the Ringo Starr album Vertical Man. He has previously served on the faculties at Elizabeth City State (NC) University and University of Central Florida. 

www.drtharrison.com

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Salford, England

Master of Music, California State University, Los Angeles

California Single Subject in Credential in Music, California State University, Northridge

Bachelor of Music, University of Denver's Lamont School of Music