Joyce Harris was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1939 and moved to New Orleans with her family when she was 13 years old.
Harris learned to play guitar, began writing songs, and was soon performing duets with her younger sister Judy. They released three singles as Judy and Joyce – He’s The One (March 1958), Washboard Sam (August 1958) and Hey Little Baby (November 1958) – on Dot Records.
When her sister got married, Harris spent a year singing with a big band in restaurants in Mexico and released her first solo single (It’s You) at the end of 1959.
Lora Richardson of the Texas-based Domino label saw her singing in Mexico and was impressed enough to secure her an audition.
Harris was soon in the studio with Tommy Kaspar and Don Burch of Domino’s vocal quartet, The Slades, to record I Cheated in October 1960.
No Way Out followed in January 1961 and sold strongly enough to be licensed to Infinity Records in California. Harris also performed the song live on American Bandstand.
Her next single, Don’t Knock It, was released in 1963 under the name Sinner Strong. On this recording, Harris was backed by a gospel choir.
Baby Baby Baby – released in 1965 – went on to become a highly sought-after record on the British Northern Soul scene, changing hands for up to £300.
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When her sister got married, Harris spent a year singing with a big band in restaurants in Mexico and released her first solo single (It’s You) at the end of 1959.
