Simon Harrison studied jazz at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, and was hired as guitar instructor during his sophomore year. He taught for the next six years, returning to college periodically to augment his studies and record.

In Edmonton he performed regularly as guitarist and singer with many local and touring acts, and sat in annually with a symphony orchestra backing western Canada’s biggest Easter passion play. He engineered and produced underground bands and scored music for the Natraja Studio, a U-of-A acting company. Simon also wrote music for and appeared in a couple of TV commercials.

Upon leaving Edmonton he fronted Leadfoot Mary. LFM toured across the Prairies and opened for bands such as Trooper, Honeymoon Suite, Chilliwack, Lee Aaron and Prism, and went on to record at the studio that launched Wide Mouth Mason. Simon did some work there as engineer/producer and vocalist. While with Leadfoot Mary, he met Fred Pepper, owner of Canwood drums, and has subsequently worked for Canwood in the capacity of drum builder and live sound engineer, working with the likes of Chunk, Joshua’s Habit, Krome, Captain Tractor, Hey Romeo, Brett Kissell, Corb Lund and others.

A Los Angeles-based referral service prompted him to relocate to Houston, Texas, where he teamed up with guitarist Kel Van Buskirk. The pair went on to tour extensively through Houston and Canada’s north, recording at Doug Jenson’s studio as mantra, and later in other Edmonton studios as the Dark Horse Project with world-record-holding drummer Tim Waterson.

Simon joined Tabasco Cat while on a break from touring and has played with Roger and Kris off and on for some time. He now teaches guitar and runs a recording studio of his own near Wainwright, Alberta, where he writes, of all things, CD reviews and road stories for the local newspaper. Tabasco Cat offers him a venue to pursue his greatest passions - travelling, singing, playing the guitar and being silly.