Photo: Mat Manser Photography
From New York to LA GT Harris has been building his stable of cowboy shirts. Now based in his hometown of Oshawa GT and his band of colourful Gunslingers are well known as one of the more stylish bands on stage.
“I have about 50 shirts dating back to the 40s and 50s,” says GT. “I have several H Bar C and one Nudie. I’ve only worn that once, at the Horseshoe Tavern.”
Like The Sadies, another act known for their silky threads Harris began playing country music at a young age with his family, he played mandolin. Over his teens he gravitated towards metal and punk but the country call is strong and he is back with the first love, old roots country complete with fringe shirts and pearl buttons. The years of watching the Grand Ol’ Oprey with his parents, the cowboy orchestras in suits stayed with him. For GT a band dresses up to perform. Its his thing.
“I want to know when the musicians walk into the room I want to know ‘that’s the band’ and not just walking out of the audience onto the stage, could be anybody. I am a huge fan of the Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons. That’s what Gram said, he went to LA to start a country band and he wanted them all to wear Nudie suits because nobody’s doing that anymore," he says
Photo: Mat Manser Photography
GT the urban cowboy took off to New York but followed the flight path of Parsons and his band of Brothers across the States. In Los Angeles it took him into the desert and onto the mythical trails of Laurel Canyon where he inhaled the smoky spirits of the 60s outlaws who lived there once.
“I have stayed in Gram’s room out in Joshua Tree,” he says, “as well, I have a friend, Jonathan Wilson, he opened for Tom Petty. I used to party with him in Laurel Canyon where he lived. Great parties, his landlord hated him. I hung with Shooter Jennings there too . . . There are certain places where you get the vibe. There are places still where you can imagine what it would have been like.”
Photo: Will McGuirk
The Gunslinger vibe extends through to gig posters using 50’s era pin-up gal art, having Jud Haynes (Wintersleep, Blue Rodeo) create the cover art for their upcoming CD and even through to his favourite restaurant in Oshawa, Buster Rhino’s, where he goes for the steers and beers.
“Good beer, meat ‘n ribs, the full deal. In LA I worked at a BBQ restaurant, it was on the TV show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. When I came back I was thinking it would be great to open a barbeque place. Buster’s opened and the first time I was here I was, like this is great,” he says.Eating great cowboy food is part of the GT thing, as is sounding great, but looking great, now that guys and gals is where GT is really at.