OVERVIEW
Backed by 30 years of industry experience, Russell Harris wears many wedding entertainment hats: enigmatic front man, talented lead vocalist, skilled multi-instrumentalist, and MC, to name just a few! A vibrant solo entertainer with an innate ability to engage audiences, Russell’s musical versatility makes him the perfect choice for any wedding celebration in Far North Queensland and beyond.
Russell holds a Diploma of Music, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (formerly the Queensland Conservatorium of Music). He has performed with renowned musicians across Australia, including Aria winner Seaman Dan and David Hudson. He has completed two solo albums of original material, entitled 'Simple Life' and 'Survivor', and has been the leading artist on the Naked Melody album (Australian Sun Records), which features the Flugelhorn.
With a passion and professionalism that shines through, Russell can adapt his skills and talents to perform in almost any vocal style. This versatility extends to song requests, a service perfect for a sentimental aisle or first dance song. Offering generous package rates and an accommodating approach, Russell will provide a memorable live music experience for your wedding.
"My new husband is a musician and absolutely loves music, so I knew he'd have pretty high expectations for the live music for our wedding reception. Russel exceeded our expectations. We wanted an acoustic guitarist to provide good music that all our guests would be able to dance to. Russell provided exactly that! He sang, played guitar and trumpet, as well as providing DJ sets. He read the room perfectly and chose just the right music to keep everyone on the dance floor. He was lovely to work with and required minimal direction in the lead-up to our wedding; he knows what he is doing! All of our guests were very impressed. Thank you, Russell, so much for making our wedding reception so memorable." – Taylor + Matt
What you'll love about working with Russell Harris for your Cairns wedding:
Highlights of working with Russell Harris for your Cairns wedding:
"Russell did an AMAZING job at our wedding reception! He made the whole process really easy. I didn't really specify exactly what music we wanted playing throughout the night, but instinctively he picked up on the sort of atmosphere we wanted, and his song choices were perfect. We had trouble deciding between a DJ or live entertainment during the planning process. We are so glad we chose Russell, as I don't think our wedding would have been the same without him. For anyone looking for amazing entertainment at their wedding, I would highly recommend Russell." – Carmel F
Location
Service Area Cairns | Port Douglas | Palm Cove | Mission Beach, Tablelands
November 2022
August 2022
August 2022
Expert Advice
As a wedding professional, Russell Harris Entertainment offers expert advice to help couples plan their perfect day. Ask a question or read their expert advice.
Get Expert AdviceHow long should we have a sax player for at our wedding reception?
I want to have a sax player at my wedding reception but I'm not sure how long they should play for - any suggestions?
How to really experience a wedding band/DJ before booking
Hi there. Can we come and listen to a band or DJ at another wedding or event before we decide to book?
Russell Harris Entertainment
Experience the band in the context of how you want them to play for you. I always encourage the Bride and Groom to come and see me play live if they can. I put bands together to suit the clients' requirements so even if it is not possible to view the exact lineup, by the time they have come and seen me play solo or in a band then it helps picture the sound and quality they will receive on their special night. Another guide is who recommends the band and how many people are recommending them. I usually find that personal recommendations from clients, suppliers and venue owners are a good guide. Beware of glossy photos and videos. You really don't want to risk your special night by making a decision based on a highly edited/auto tuned music and video soundtrack. Also, it's good to establish if a band is reliable . I wish I had a dollar for every phone call I've had at the last minute from a client whose band has pulled out in the last week. A meeting with the artist over the phone or at a coffee shop face to face (which I prefer) can establish rapport and talk through expectations for the day which, in addition to the sound of the band, can help establish terms of booking etc. If your band doesn't charge a deposit and give you a written agreement and isn't recommended by local suppliers - beware.
Are there additional fees to have continuous music without breaks?
Russell Harris Entertainment
As a musician, MC and DJ I have always provided continuous music. There is nothing that can kill an atmosphere that you have worked hard to create more than a big pause or gap in the program. I like to have a copy of the runsheet before each wedding that I do and even if it is very informal l will check what is coming up during the evening with the bride and groom or MC just to make sure things are running to plan , that I don't get caught out having a break when there is something important happening that requires the music turned off or back on and they are happy with how the night is progressing.
There is no difference in fees with my performances.
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If you are using the Sax as a stand alone instrument, possibly with some backings or another live performer as accompaniment then during the first part of the reception is a perfect place. If they are a part of the band then the Sax can be included and featured as part of the dinner sets and the rock/dance sets as well. The reception can roughly be divided into 1/2 dinner/speeches etc and then 1/2 Dance music so whatever the length of your reception is just divide by 2 for the standalone feature style of performance or the whole night as an addition to the band. There are also players that do a DJ service as well as different variations of these.