Movin’ and A Groovin’ Fifty Years Later With the Human Perkulator!

By Art Connor
Williamstown, NJ VFW 1616 – April 6, 2002

In August of 1967 the Summer of Love was still in full swing. The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper“ album was being played non-stop on record players everywhere, and with pretty flowers in your hair, San Francisco was the place to be. The Doors and The Jefferson Airplane were the hottest new bands. The Monkees were touring with their opening act, Jimi Hendrix! But despite all of the Love, and Peace and Psychedelia that was around, Philly was still a dancing town, and songs with the “groove and the beat that made you get on you feet” were still the crowd favs.

Billy Harner is a journeyman singer from New Jersey who actually charted a few really good singles from 1967-69. He worked like a fiend playing all of the shore clubs and rock joints in and around the Tri-State area here. Even at a very young age, Billy was an energetic performer with a gruff, bluesy, masculine voice that was a cross between Mitch Ryder and Peter Wolf with a bit Joe Cocker thrown in the mix. Famed Philly DJ’s Hy Lit and Joe Niagra dubbed him “The Human Perkulator.”

“When I was born, the nurses all said when I came out I screamed “Got to tell you!” and I’ve been singing ever since.”
–  Billy Harner

He actually recorded for some pretty big labels back in the day that included Kama Sutra, a subsidiary of MGM and Paramount Records, as well the famous Cameo Parkway Record Company, which was home to Philly favs Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and The Dovells. Billy was signed by the prestigious Atlantic Records when they picked up an option to release his “Message to My Babe” single. He was one of the few white artists to be on the flagship label itself, and not the subsidiary, Atco which was usually reserved for the rock and pop acts. Along with Billy’s biggest hit, “Sally Sayin’ Somethin’,” some of his other hits include “She’s Almost You” (written by Joe South), “I Struck It Rich,” (written by the award winning songwriting team of Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff), “Homicide Dresser” “Human,” and “What About The Children?” “Homicide Dresser” still gets regular spins on the syndicated radio show, Little Steven’s Underground Garage.

With Billy’s last charted hit, “Message to My Babe,” he got to work with acclaimed songwriter and producer, Horace Ott at Atlantic Records. Ott had worked with many of the R&B and jazz greats of the ’60s and early ’70s. Ott went on to even greater fame later in the Disco ’70s by working with the Village People and The Ritchie Family.

But back in the heat of the summer of 1967, Billy was on that fast train to fame. With an intro very similar to Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me” and a bit Tommy James and The Shondell’s “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Sally” shot to the top of the charts and made him an instant rising star and took him on a whirlwind journey across the country and around the world.

“The summer of 1967 – Wow, it was a great experience. It was like being a pioneer to be breaking new ground with new sounds and new music. I would run up to New York to cut some tracks, and then race back down to Atlantic City to play Steel Pier. Back then, that was two, maybe three shows a night! Oh man, the first time I heard “Sally” on the radio, Hy Lit was playing it. Hyski was the man, he’s still the man! All of the fantastic bands and singers I got to meet and play with, those days back then were great, I was glad to be a part of it. It was something I’ll never forget!”
– Billy Harner

By 1969, music was changing again, and the “Human Perkulator“ had run out of both steam and hits, and he was released from his record contracts. Heading back home to New Jersey, he opened a hair salon and settled into a quiet middle class suburban life, only venturing out occasionally to play a local benefit show or a one-off gig.

The music scene went through many metamorphoses over the next few decades — Disco, Punk, New Wave, Dance, Rap, Grunge, and the rise of MTV. But something funny occurred that happens to all forms of popular music — the “twenty- year syndrome.” Suddenly, “Sally” and Billy’s other hits from the 60s were getting air-play again on the Oldies and Classic Hits format radio stations. Billy put his scissors and brushes down and went back out and started performing again.

“Music doesn’t change; it just has different arrangements that’s all. They always ask me ‘What kind of music do you sing? Country? Pop?’ A great song is a great song no matter what. It’s all in the arrangement. Rap music is very in right now, and it’s pretty neat to see what’s coming out and what the kids will like next. I’ve been a rhythm and blues singer for a long, long time now, but I don’t think I’ll be going down the path (Rap) anytime soon!”
– Billy Harner

In 2008, Billy re-recorded all of his hits and released a new CD, The Human Perkulator. In hindsight, Billy should have had a much bigger career and success then he actually achieved. The records he released were really very good — almost all of them were on major labels. He had the stage presence, and he put his heart and soul into every performance. But for whatever reason, the stars in the sky were never aligned right for him and that magical brass ring called superstardom always eluded him. By last accounts he’s still out there playing gigs with a pickup up band or with a DJ and he’s still “movin’ and a groovin’” like he did back in the summer of 1967.

“Don’t give up! That’s the best advice I can give. Get your education, and don’t give up. Find a musical vehicle to go with and just stay with it.”
– Billy Harner

Billy’s sayin’ something indeed!

Billy Harner’s 2008 CD The Human Perkulator is available on Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.

Movin’ and a Groovin’ Fifty Years Later With the Human Perkulator!: The Billy Harner Interview ©2002 and 2017 by Art Connor. All rights reserved.