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At Grant's birth, the producers at the Apollo Theater wanted him to be the News Years' baby and have Soul singer Jackie Wilson bring him out on stage and boogaloo with the tiny infant. His mother didn't allow it.
During the author's teen years he worked for Motown Records and Commodore Entertainment helping to put Lionel Richie and the boys on the map winding up even directing Michael Jackson backstage at Madison Square Garden. He also became a photographer taking pictures of Jimi Hendrix then went on to work in the film industry managing and finding locations for Sir Alan Parker, Francis Coppola, Lord Richard, Sir Paul McCartney, and everybody that was and is anybody in Hollywood, New York, and England.
On one fateful day, Dr. Reid stumbled upon a paragraph about Harper in a local Harlem library and his life was changed forever. He discovered his yet unknown Grandfather Producer Leonard Harper and a treasure chest of his entertainment family exploded.
In "Rhythm For Sale" Grant shares his historical findings with the public and wishes to delight all who read it.
Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite
The main protagonist of Rhythm for Sale, Leonard Harper, is a talented African-American born in an era of discrimination and of a blossoming entertainment industry to which he was drawn. He was the son of a poor singer from Birmingham, Alabama. He learned the art of soft shoe dancing, a type of tap dancing popular during those years. In almost no time, he had become a master of his craft, going on his own at the age of 16 in New York, even working with greats such as Louis Armstrong. Despite white people ripping him and other African-American counterparts of their work and earnings, he was able to do many performances and shows and, through his hard work, was also able to stage the much-lauded African-American Broadway show Hot Chocolates in 1929. Rhythm For Sale, written by his grandson, Grant Harper Reid is his story.
Grant Harper Reid’s debut book is a fascinating look at the dazzling Harlem Renaissance that was the backdrop to the life of his grandfather, Leonard Harper, a known figure among history buffs and dance and theater enthusiasts. Leonard Harper was not only a gifted performer, he also contributed much to the Harlem Renaissance as a choreographer and stage director so that even to this day others look up to him and his works. Those wanting to learn more of this wonderful era of dance and theater history will realize they have a marvelous find in Rhythm for Sale. The author's writing style is highly descriptive and entertaining and his book not only tells of his grandfather's exploits as a performer – we also get to see his personal life, rife with affairs as well as exciting characters from gangsters to burlesque dancers in the nightclubs. This is a book every performer should read.
