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Sir Harrison Begay, a familiar name in the blues scene, is a musician whose career spans over two decades, blending his Native American roots with a passion for soulful music. Despite his previous success as a video photojournalist, Harrison's true calling remained in the rhythm of the blues. Now, as he prepares for his induction into the in January 2025, Harrison reflects on a path filled with challenges, triumphs and the enduring power of music that has sustained him throughout the years.

Well known in Flagstaff for being the frontman of Sir Harrison and the Blues Kings, Harrison's musical career took off in 2002. His introduction to music, however, began at an early age. Harrison was born in Tuscon, Arizona, as a descendant of the Navajo Nation, or Diné. As the youngest of eight siblings, he was exposed to a variety of genres from his older brothers and sisters as well as his parents. From 70s and 80s R&B to the good old singing cowboys era, Harrison said he “fell in between,� being most drawn to soft rock at first. In junior high and high school, he entered a heavy metal phase, growing his hair long and swapping out his elementary school clarinet for a guitar along the way.

It wasn’t until he stumbled across an old blues cassette tape that Harrison began to fall in love with the genre. Appreciating its diverse style, he wanted to learn more about the soul and structure behind this music. So, he essentially gave up heavy metal and started playing blues, and it stuck.

At this time, Harrison was still chasing his career as a video photojournalist. He ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and built up a very successful career in the news, earning two Edward R. Murrow Awards, a prestigious achievement that recognizes local and national news stories of technical excellence and high community impact. Playing music was more of a hobby for Harrison, only finding time to play at night after long shifts.

One of those evenings, Harrison and a friend of his from Texas were getting ready for a night out. The friend heard him playing and, according to Harrison, said to him “Grab your guitar, I’m gonna take you somewhere.� So he took him to his first blues jam.

“This was kind of my inspiration that started everything. I was sort of starstruck because I realized in the crowd I started recognizing people that were touring musicians that were at this jam session,� said Harrison. “It was that soulful connection I made, and there are a lot of elderly black musicians there that inspired me. And it kind of just ignited everything again.�

From that moment on, Harrison knew he wanted to keep pursuing this musical outlet. He continued to attend blues jams and play his music and started a band in Tulsa that went by the name Colorblind. Harrison claims he was a “mediocre player� in comparison to the people he encountered.

“A lot of it was learning from the Oklahoma players and just their passion and kind of keeping that fire lit. And I, I always kept that at heart.�

As far as the other members of his musical group, Harrison said he would rotate through different musicians. “I was always spoiled from the get-go,� he said. “I always had professional bass players in my band, everywhere I went.�

When the Diné musician eventually moved back to Arizona and started the Sir Harrison band, he continued this method. While in Flagstaff he met Richard D. Neville, someone he heard of while in Oklahoma and later became good friends with. Richard was a long time manager at AZ Music Pro in Flagstaff, but he also had a background playing bass with several legendary musicians and bands including Vince Gill, Poco, Mickey Gilley and more. He was another talented player, the type that Harrison gravitated towards.

“One thing he always told me, he always believed in me,� said Harrison. Richard became one of Sir Harrison Band’s first permanent bass players for a time. “I went to another Arizona Blues Hall of Fame bass player, Jimmy Mack. I used to go back and forth between them,� Harrison said.

Now Harrison uses two or three main bassists and drummers. They are all familiar with his material so it’s easy to switch between them. In Yarnell, where he currently resides, it's harder to find a set band as everybody plays constantly in the music scene there, though he said that would be nice to have one day.

Along with being a vocalist and guitarist, Harrison also writes his own music. However, he admits he’s been in a bit of a slump, or feeling “brain dead� as he called it. The COVID pandemic hit him hard, both mentally and financially, and he shared that’s what burned him out.

Before that, his band was starting to receive a lot of recognition. They won a competition for the Northern Arizona Blues Alliance to go to Memphis, Tennessee, and when they got back they were getting constant phone calls and booking shows, as well as preparing for a new album which Harrison poured a pretty hefty chunk of cash into.

The pandemic put an abrupt halt to all of that, and according to Harrison it “just went downhill from there.�

“Of course, everyone suffered from it. But you know, to me it was heartbreaking because my momentum was so high. Everything I've worked for in the past 20 years was becoming real.�

It’s been a slow recovery for Harrison since then, but after receiving the exciting news about his induction into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame he’s been motivated to get back at it.

The Arizona Blues Hall of Fame is a recognition award that honors the musicians, bands, venues and individuals who have made significant contributions to the Blues music culture in Arizona. Harrison has been nominated for this award twice before, but this year he finally earned his spot.

“I got the call, It was actually the weekend after my birthday. My birthday was November 29. I kind of was bummed out because I wasn't able to go home for Thanksgiving to Tucson,� said Harrison. “I got a call that evening from one of the (Hall of Fame) members in Flagstaff, Tom McMillian.� As a personal friend, Harrison said it was nice hearing it from Tom and that it’s reinspired him ever since.

“I've been non-stop playing my guitar and practicing, and I have three shows coming up I'm so stoked for,� he said. “The energy and the emotions are building. Actually the other morning I was sitting down and started writing a new song and I was kind of just like, ‘Hey, I think this is good.’�

Sir Harrison Begay will be inducted on January 19, 2025, at The Rhythm Room in Phoenix. There will be a second ceremony held later this year in Prescott as well.

This honor is well deserved to Harrison and his band, with their 20+ years together contributing to the blues community. Some of the biggest highlights have been the times opening up for fellow musicians who are highly renowned and inspirational to Harrison.

The first one, Harrison recalled, was when they opened up for Richie Havens at the Tuscon Folk Festival in 2003. The “Freedom� singer acknowledged Harrison and his group for a job well done and thanked them for opening for him, said Harrison.

Another memorable moment was when the band was set to open a show in Indianapolis for Sam Lay, a distinguished drummer and vocalist. Harrison said Lay heard him playing and had them join him in his practice room. After that, Lay asked the band to join him for his set and back him up. “I was like, how true can I get to the blues,� Harrison said. “He has played with all the greats.�

Harrison hopes to use the motivation and recognition from the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame award to his advantage and try to kickstart things again. He doesn’t want—or need—to slow down yet, and his voice feels strong and he wants to keep up the momentum and inspiration he has reignited.

“I’m just happy for this recognition, and it is really heartfelt. I couldn't have done this without the musicians I play with and they're as much to attribute to what we do, you know, our sound is our sound, our groove is our groove,� shared Harrison. “But, taking the blues to the next level, that’s our goal. So I'll keep doing that � give it my nuance and give it my spin, what I've learned throughout the years. I will continue to share my soulful journey through my music.�

Sir Harrison Begay’s music and upcoming shows can be found at