User:Seanleonard/Harve Mann

Even though Harve Mann’s widest exposure came in his playing an over the top lounge singer on six David Letterman Shows, anyone who has worked with the real Harve Mann considers him a musical entertainment genius.

Growing up in a musical environment (Mom Paula Mann was a first rate professional pianist), Harve was performing and writing songs by the age of ten. He usually accompanied himself on guitar. He would also frequently get up and sing a few tunes at some of his mother’s club gigs. With an astounding memory for lyrics and music that he took for granted, Harve could sing and accompany himself on almost any song he listened to little more than a few times. While he loved Show Tunes and standards, Harve’s favorite music was early 60s Rock and Pop and especially the songs with sharp lyrics. When Harve was around thirteen, Paula suggested he learn to play the bass fiddle. This served him very well when a few years later, his first professional jobs were as a singing bass player in society bands. He would also double as the singing rock guitar guy when these bands felt compelled to play what they thought of as that “evil Rock and Roll.” Hearing these older musicians talk down the modern music Harve loved made him determined to always stay open to whatever new sounds appeared on the scene.

While a voice and composition major at The Philadelphia Music Academy, Harve was juggling playing three nights a week in clubs, acting professionally in Children’s Theatre as well as various other performing jobs. His schoolwork suffering, Harve left college in his fourth year to go on the road as half of a folk rock duo. At twenty-one he was traveling as lead singer and organist for a Vegas type show group. The next ten years found him on the road performing either as a solo act or in a male/female duo. His biggest success during this period came with The Harve and Charee Show where he got to open for Show Biz legends like Rudy Vallee, Frank Fontaine and Tiny Tim. Tiny in particular was a big supporter of Harve’s music, eventually recording four of his songs. Harve and Charee’s recording of HARIBEE written by Harve has become a collectable online.

Following the split up of Harve and Charee, Harve began to really develop his playing chops performing almost exclusively as a One-Mann Band. His growing keyboard and guitar skills became noticeable on his record THE MAD ROCKER/ SHINE YOUR LOVE produced by Daoud Shaw (Van Morrison and Saturday Night Live drummer). Around this time Dr. Demento began playing some of his novelty songs most notably TELEPHONE $EX which made the All Request List and was one of several songs to win awards in The Philly Rock Guide.

In recent years, Harve has performed in Las Vegas and in LA where he lives. The internet has made his music available worldwide. His biggest downloads to date are READY TO JUMP an upbeat spiritual song, the satirical HIT IN OUTER SPACE, the rocker IT’S A LONG WAY DOWN, THANKFUL FOR MY FAITH and BALLAD OF ROCKY written about his beloved cat. He has music in several films including PERHAPS IN THE NEXT LIFE the main song in the indy IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT ELVIS. Harve’s own version of that song contains in the ride-out possibly the highest note ever sung by a baritone.

One of the singer’s most requested songs BETTER WITH AGE reflects Harve’s passionate belief that you’re never too old to make dreams come true.