The Songs of Bill Harman

I came across something while cleaning out my filing cabinet that I had largely forgotten about. When my father died in 1984, among his belongings were some vinyl acetates (recordings) belonging to a gentleman named Bill Harman. Mr. Harman contacted my aunt and told us that he would very much like to have these acetates back. But I was young and thought I had a lot to deal with. Somehow in the coming months, and then years, I never got those acetates sent back to Mr. Harman. When I finally got off of my ass and wrote him about the acetates, I received a reply from someone who told me that Mr. Harman had moved many years before, and they had no idea where he had gone.

These acetates have lived in my filing cabinet ever since. There are four of them, labelled as follows;

What a Combination We'd Make
(William Harman & Ray Kerns)

No One Will Ever Take Your Place
(W.T. Harman & Roy Kent)

I've Got a Secret
(Bill Harman & Art Cain)

Do You Know What
(W.T. Harman & Art Cain)

The label on the acetates is Globe Recording Studio, Inc., 420 Broad St., Nashville, Tennessee.

I'm not sure why I'm mentioning this. I suppose because I'm a musician myself, and I know what these acetates much have meant to Mr. Harman. I deeply regret that by the time I became man enough to think about such things, he had already moved on, and I was never able to return them. I suppose I also hope that maybe his children or grandchildren will stumble across this post during a Google search or something. I would very much like to return these acetates to Mr. Harman if he's living, or to his family if he is not.

Mr. Harman, I understand you all too well now. My father was 46 years old when he died. I assume that you were about that age, or at least in the neighborhood. Now that I'm 40 years old myself, and I'm looking back on that long road behind me, I'm keenly aware of how much certain things mean to a person. If I never find you or hear from your family, I hope somehow it makes a difference that someone has your acetates who will always treasure them as manifestations of someone else's dreams. Believe me. I know what they represented. And I will carry my shame to my grave that I took them from you, however unintentional.