Louis York

Did You Know?

• Louis York's name combines the hometowns of its founders: Claude Kelly from New York City and Chuck Harmony from East St. Louis.
• On April 15, 2025, American Songwriter Magazine announced Louis York as the Jazz Category Winner of the 2024 American Songwriter Song Contest.

History

Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony first crossed paths while working on Chrisette Michele's 2009 album Epiphany. After that, they teamed up as a writing and production duo, crafting songs for major artists like Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Jessie J, and Miley Cyrus. Eventually, they wanted to step away from being hired songwriters and make music that felt more personal, so they formed the group Louis York. The name comes from their hometowns: Kelly is from New York City, and Harmony is from East St. Louis.

The pair writes and produces everything themselves, with Kelly handling vocals and Harmony playing keyboards, guitars, drums, and the vocoder. Their sound draws from church choir roots, R&B they grew up with, and early exposure to jazz and Motown. They call their music "world music" because it blends multiple genres and has an international feel. Louis York is the first act on their own label, Weirdo Workshop, which distributes through Sony's RED Distribution.

The label operates out of a house in Franklin, Tennessee, serving as a creative hub where they produce music, plan projects, and host lectures, book clubs, and live shows. The duo debuted with the single "Clair Huxtable" on February 24, 2015, a tribute to strong women inspired by the mother from The Cosby Show. In the music video, Kelly and Harmony search for a woman who is strong, smart, sexy, and elegant. Their second single, "Good Drinks, Dumb Jokes," came out on August 13, 2015.

Their first EP, Masterpiece Theater – Act I, was recorded in Los Angeles during the summer of 2015 and released on September 18, 2015. The Los Angeles Times called it "an eclectic mix steeped in hook-driven pop and throwback R&B along with rock and African tribal rhythms." The follow-up EP, Masterpiece Theater – Act II, dropped on November 18, 2016. In 2019, they released their debut album, American Griots - The Album.

The title references the griots of West Africa, who are traveling storytellers, poets, and songwriters that pass on oral traditions. By adding "American," the duo aimed to modernize that role and give touring artists a renewed sense of responsibility, using the album's title to express how they see themselves.