Allen %22Puddler%22 Harris
Harris career as a pianist mostly began and ended with two of the bestknown names in the field of music Ricky Nelson in California and Jimmie Davis in Louisiana.
Harris was born in tiny Jigger near Winnsboro, the parish seat of Franklin Parish in northeastern Louisiana. Jigger was also the birthplace of perennial Louisiana political candidate L.D. None of the Above Knox. Harriss interest in music began as a teenager when he and guitarist Fred Carter, Jr., also from Winnsboro, formed a band which played at parties, drivein restaurants, and other similar gatherings. Harris joined the United States Marine Corps. On his discharge, he was given the opportunity to substitute for pianist Floyd Cramer at the Louisiana Hayride in the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium. When Cramer moved permanently to Nashville, Harris replaced him as staff pianist at the Hayride, which closed in 1960. He also recorded and toured with Johnny Horton and became friends with Joe Osborn, originally from Mound near Tallulah, the seat of Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana, and James Burton, a guitarist born in Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Lou
Source: Wikipedia