In the 1960s Harris was a Hammond Organ player who played in bands touring in the Miami, Florida area.

Soon other musicians loved the Jazz bass and offered Harris much more money than he paid for the guitar.

[3][4] Harris saw the value of selling vintage guitars and in 1975 he opened a store in Reseda, California.

Harris also rented guitars to be used in the movie industry,[2] including the films Bound for Glory, The Last Waltz, Back to the Future, and This Is Spinal Tap.

[2] Norman's Rare Guitars is frequented by many A-list musicians: Joe Bonamassa, Post Malone, Slash, T-Bone Burnett, Mike Campbell, Richie Sambora, Joe Walsh, and the now deceased Eddie Van Halen and Tom Petty.