Tanya Marie Harris

Tanya Marie Harris admits to being somewhat of a late bloomer as far as Country Music goes. “Growing up, we listened to a lot of Rock more than anything. My mom never listened to Country – unless it was Patsy Cline,” she recalled of her formative years in Ontario Canada. However, a trip into the Southern United States changed all of that.

“A little later on, I went on a trip to South Carolina, and they had so many Country radio stations around, so I got my first taste of it then. I went home and started listening to it, and watching CMT. I fell in love with the fact that I could understand it. Country is straight-forward, taking a page out of someone’s life and putting it to song. It was always a story that was relatable and understandable.”

Still Harris, who has just released to Country radio the new single “Second Hand Dreams,” says she was influenced by a wide variety of music. “I loved Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride. I am also a big fan of Chely Wright’s music, but also listened to a lot of Alanis Morissette and Amanda Marshall.”

Though performing was her muse of choice, Harris took a more realistic approach to life. “I’ve known I wanted to sing since I was a kid. In fact, when I was about seven or eight, I looked at my mom and said ‘I’m going to be famous, but I’m going to be married with a family first.’ What kid says that? I have no idea. I grew up with a single mom, and I saw what could happen to people if they got out of control a little. I realized that people actually do need family. As I got older, I don’t know if someone said the wrong thing to me or what, I realized that music just wasn’t a realistic goal. So, I tried to avoid it – I would do anything else that compared in passion. I ended up working in the non-profit sector – fund raising, charitable events. I went to college for social work.”

Tanya’s career path included stints working in a local soup kitchen, as well as for Big Sisters. She also opened up a restaurant and tea business, but nothing ever compared to music. Ironically, it took her marrying and having a family to fully bring her passion back into clear focus.

“Once I had a daughter, I realized ‘How can I ever expect her to do what she wants in her life, if I never did?’ I pretty much woke up one day and decided that I was going to go to Nashville.”

What was that initial experience with Music City like for her? One for the ages!  “It was wonderful, but also a little scary because I went by myself. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I had spent some time researching and deciding who I wanted to work with. I wasn’t looking for stardom – I just wanted to do what I always wanted to do; tour, travel, and sing – and also continue my songwriting. I’ve been doing that since I was a kid.”

Though she loves the process of creating magic on paper (or a laptop), Tanya admits it’s the stage and performances that holds the most appeal to her.

“I love to write, but for me, it’s all about how I’m feeling when I am belting out a tune. As much as I love performing something that I’ve written, that really doesn’t matter to me. I just love being on stage.” She says there’s something special that goes on inside of her when she walks out in front of a crowd.

“I’m very conservative, and not really flashy. But, when I get on stage, I forget what I’m wearing or what I look like. It’s not about me, as much as it is the feeling I get in my chest when I sing and someone is sitting there watching and listening. It’s a connection, and all of a sudden, I’m be-bopping all over the stage. I don’t stand still.”

Needless to say, Tanya Marie Harris has come a long way since giving her family concerts at their home – usually including songs by Elton John and Bryan Adams.  “We lived in a town home, and our dining room overlooked the living room. That was my stage when I was eight years old, and I would have  my broom as my microphone. I love being able to do that for real and I'm going to make the most of it."

“I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to do,” she says. “Now, it’s all gravy. It’s about living it, enjoying, and trying to some good with it."

With her current single “Second Hand Dreams” out at radio and landing itself on the Music Row Breakout top 80 Country Chart, Tanya Marie Harris turns her attention to her upcoming project release. “Treat Me Like Your Girlfriend" she says. It was exciting to go through all the songs, and see what stirred something in me. I had a couple of songs in mind, and ended up sitting down with fellow writers David Norris & LaLa Deaton and we hit it off from the start.  I had something to say with "Treat me Like Your Girlfriend" and know a lot of women will appreciate the sentiment in the song.

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