Lance Harrison

Lance Franklin Harrison was born at Elmendorf Airforce Base in Anchorage, Alaska 9-27-1961 to John and Arloa Harrison. Lance graduated a year early from Abraham Lincoln High School and at the young age of 18 went on his first touring gig with the Max Gordon Flipping Band (Flipping Star). Later he started the band Frixis with his best friend, the late Kelly Starret. Lance played with Randy Van Hosen in the Roze Band, and also toured the upper Midwest under the GMA label with his band Thunder Teaz. Other bands included The Lance Harrison Band, The Lap Dogs, Monkey Finger, The 3 Am Band, The Tyler-Thompson Band, Hissy Fit Gypsys, Randy Burke and the Prisoners, and most recently his band, Backseat Revelation. Lance stated that he was greatly honored to have had the opportunity to play with such talented musicians. Lance also opened for other greats such as Lonnie Brooks, Buddy Miles, Black Foote, Little Ed and the Temptations, Corey Stevens and the Texas Flood, as well as the Dave Chastin Band. Lance released an all acoustic EP with his friends at Trifecta Records entitled “Wood” and also wrote and produced a soundtrack for the critically acclaimed short feature film entitled, “What about Amber”. Lance had said that he wanted his legacy to be about his music, and September 2018 his dream came to be. Lance was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association truly honored him as only a real star should be. A parade, interviews, as well as a 2 hour long autograph session. Lance was also chosen to play that evening with the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame All Star Band. Lance was in his element and his performance was absolutely epic, hamming it up as much as ever with all of the greats on one stage. Lance was a kind of ‘Renaissance Man’ who also excelled in High School football, basketball, as well as golf. Lance also hailed as an accomplished race car driver. He raced hobby stock cars for 3 years. For those 3 years he was also the most winningest driver at Boone in a single season, winning up to 25 races. Finally his big win and complete upset was the Hawkeye Downs. At the end of his life Lance also got very involved in Slot Car Racing, having not one but two built to scale race tracks. He just recently purchased a restored 1973 Ford Maverick which brought him much pride. Lance was passionate about all of his hobbies and gave of his whole self to simply ‘be the best.’ Preceded in death are: his parents, John and Arloa Harrison; grandparents, Dean and Maxine Harrison, as well as Frank and Margaret Oswald. He will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Holly (Scott) McIlroy as well as nephews, Treynor, Wyatt and niece, Chloe Baker, as well as cousins and countless friends. In all honesty, Lance sometimes was quite the misunderstood diva. He shall be remembered for his inherent will to live, his good looks and movie star charisma, impassible music talent, popularity with the ladies, sense of humor, and to never ever touch his newly restored car. So much gratitude is extended to his best friend, Lowell, who has the patience of a saint and cared for Lance this past year and ½. His Oncology Physicians, Dr. Robert Isaak and Dr. Seema Harichand-Herdt, and the entire staff at The John Stoddard Cancer Center, including his nurse Whitney, social worker Dwight, and Nurse Navigator Ann. The Hospice staff who helped in his home as well as the Taylor House nurses and staff. The Corn Patch who so kindly made sure Lance had all the macaroni and cheese and peaches he could eat. His valiant fight with lung cancer was not a battle lost, but a passage to Heaven where the streets glitter with gold, and pain and suffering are no more. Services are to be held Friday, July 5, 2019 at 11 AM. Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Pkwy, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266. Memorial Contributions can be made in Lance’s honor to the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association Scholarship Foundation to encourage college-bound students in Iowa to pursue music.

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