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Sunday, March 8, 2009
LARRY HOWARD - DISCOGRAPHY / REVIEWS AND THE BLUES NIGHT-1994
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(13-TRACKS)
1-BOOM BOOM(Darrell Mansfield)
2-YOU KNOW IT AIN'T RIGHT(Darrell Mansfield)
3-THE MISSION(Darrell Mansfield)
4-JESUS MENTIONED MY NAME(Traci Balin)
5-A BETTER WAY(Traci Balin)
6-WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN(Traci Balin)
7-GREAT CHANGE(Glenn Kaiser)
8-WITNESS CLOUD(Glenn Kaiser)
9-SOMEBODY ON YOU BOND(Glenn Kaiser)
10-SHAKY GROUND(Glenn Kaiser)
11-EVERYBODY WANTS TO BEIN HEAVEN(Larry Howard)
12-IT'S ONLY YOU(Larry Howard)
13-EVERYDAY WILL BE SOMEDAY(Jam Session)
LARRY HOWARD-AMERICAN ROOTS-1997
THISALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-BOOGIE MAN
2-YOU GOT TO PRAY
3-ACHIN IN MY SIDE
4-REAL MIRACLE MAN
5-IN HIS EYES
6-FIRE PROOF
7-LIVING IN ETERNITY
8-THE RIVER
9-COVER ME
10-BLESSED WITH THE BLUES
LARRY HOWARD-SANTIFIED BLUES-2005/1986
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-SANTIFIED BLUES
2-LOST SHIP
3-LOVE AIN'T WHAT YOU SEE
4-COOL RAIN
5-I GAVE JESUS MY BLUES
6-SHUFFLE ON HOME
7-ONE NIGHT
8-EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO HEAVEN
9-FRIEND IN JESUS
10-SANTIFIED BLUES
LARRY HOWARD-BRIGHT SIDE OF THE BLUES-1994
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-BRIGHT SIDE OF THE BLUES
2-DANCING AT THE WEDDING BALL
3-DON'T TTHINK TWICE
4-I FOUND OUT
5-GONE FISHING
6-SIGNIFIED LIFE
7-BENEATH THE COLOR OF SKIN
8-EXPECTING MIRACLES
9-11:59
10-STILL STANDING
LARRY HOWARD-CORNERSTONE BLUES JAM-1992
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(17-TRACKS)
1-GOOD NEWS BLUES(Larry Howard)
2-LOVE WILL MAKE YOU CHANGE YOUR WAYS(Larry Howard)
3-LEAN ON ME(Margaret Becker)
4-EVANGELISTIC BLUES(Howard & Mansfield)
5-PRESENCE OF THE LORD(Howard,Kaiser & Mansfield)
6-TAKE UP YOUR CROSS(Guardian)
7-JUDGEMENT DAY BLUES(Mark Farner)
8-TROUBLE NO MORE(Larry Howard)
9-HERE AM I(Degarmo & Howard)
10-SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL(Farner & Becker)
11-OPERATOR(Jessy Dixon)
12-IF WE EVER NEEDED THE LORD(Elsa Harris)
WE SURE DO NEED HIM NOW
13-KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE PLOW(Dixon & Harris)
14-WALK OVER GOD'S HEAVEN(Margaret Becker)
15-SEARCH ME LORD(Mark Farner)
16-PRECIOUS LORD(Harris & Mitchell)
17-NOBODY BUT YOU(Larry Howard)
18-CALLING ON LOVE(Rex Carroll & Howard)
LARRY HOWARD-SANTIFIED BLUES-1986/2005
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(10-TRACKS)
1-SANTIFIED BLUES
2-LOST SHIP
3-LOVE AIN'T WHAT YOU SAY
4-COOL RAIN
5-I GAVE JESUS MY BLUES
6-SHUFFLE ON HOME
7-ONE NIGHT
8-EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO HEAVEN
9-FRIEND IN JESUS
10-SANTIFIED BLUES
BIOGRAPHY:
Larry Howard's life has been spent learning, playing, and recording music. He began his recording in 1967, nearly 40 years ago. but his lifetime of music began long before he entered his first recording studio. "In my early years I played a lot of big band swing music," Howard says recounting his early years. "When I was 14 I had the opportunity to play with Count Basie at the University Of Miami music school for six weeks. I love that style of music. I did my first recording for a production company in 1967," Howard continues. "Then I did some regional stuff in Florida. Then I hooked up with Dru Lumbar (Guitar And Vocals), Joe Dan Petty (Bass) and Ricky Burnett (Drums). Together we Formed Grinderswitch. We were a southern rock and blues band and we toured with most if not all the great southern rock and blues bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker, BB King, Freddy King, Papa John Creach, and many more. In 1979 Grinderswitch had run their course and the members went off in separate directions. "In 1980 I became a Christian," Howard states matter-of-factly. "I came off the road for four years and worked a job. I devoted my time to being in church and being under sound preaching and studying the Bible. People kept telling me I needed to record an album but I kept telling them what I needed was get my family and my life together." In 1984 Howard had the chance to meet Christian Music pioneers Bob MacKenzie and Ray Nenow who owned Refuge Records. "Bob heard a song I had written called 'I Gave Jesus My Blues'. Bob said, "Anyone who can use the words Jesus and blues in the same sentence is going to do a record for me." "In 1984 I started recording again," Howard continues, "I did two records with Refuge Records, 'Shout' and 'Sanctified Blues.' Radio stations are still playing a song off 'Sanctified Blues' called "Cool Rain". That came out in 1986." From 1987 until 1995 Howard released six albums. The first, "Into The Light" ended up being a European only release. Then Howard signed to Forefront and released the studio album 'Redeemed' followed by a live album, 'Larry Howard's Cornerstone Blues Jam.' Howard finished up his time with Forefront with the release of 'Bright Side of the Blues.'He also recorded several more releases including "American Roots" featuring Charlie Daniels, Jimmy Nalls,and The Charlie Daniels Band, and "Into The Night" a live trio recording with Glen Kasier and Darrell Mansfield.
REVIEW ALBUMS:
INTO THE LIGHT: is solid proof that Christians can make good quality albums. If you liked the Blues Brothers, you'll love Larry, it's good unadulterated blues. The opening track couldn't have been better placed. "Why I Sing The Blues" makes you want to listen more, the musicianship is first class and thank goodness it's not then crowded-out by some superficial unnecessary lyric. Larry knows when he should sing, and his low growling voice couldn't be better for this music. Highspots on the album are "Why I Sing The Blues". "I Need To Know For Sure". "Guess Who" and "Find Out For Yourself", which couldn't be more apt, Larry Howard is a please to listen to. What I would recommend is if you're thinking of doing your own recording listen to Larry Howard and find out for yourself how good Christian music can be - a rare treat! REDEEMED: Those Howard devotees, of which since his devastating Greenbelt gigs there are no small number, will be shocked by the "Look To The Sky" opener. The blues has been dumped in favour of a Piece of Gravel Voiced AOR complete with Girl Chorus which is competent enough but which could be performed by any half-competent rocker. Other numbers too move through standard pop-rock grooves and even his "Evangelistic Blues" turns out to be a piece of tongue-in-cheek acoustic whimsy and a long way from the torrid sanctified blues he once scorched tne listeners' ears with. There are still some traces of raunchier times like, an almost Stax soul sound on "Power Of Love", but it now seems that the one time Gospel-Blues Pioneer has settled for the safer Haven Of Derivative AOR. Shame.CORNERSTONE BLUE JAM: Bluesman Larry Howard invited some friends to play with him at the Cornerstone Festival, USA, and this album is the recording of the show. Larry's methodical guitar playing and rasping voice betray his delta blues influences - he's in the Muddy Waters tradition rather than Freddie King. The blues subdivides into many styles but still remain the blues, the same way as Christianity has many denominations but all have the same basic message, and this gig is a perfect example. Mark Farner (ex Grand Funk Railroad) sings a couple of songs, his guitar playing is so hot the notes shoot out of his axe like bullets from a Terminator's uzi while his voice demonstrates more acrobatics than Chipperfield's Circus. Without a doubt Mark steals the show. Jessy Dixon tries to steal it back with a moving performance of the 50s song "Operator", Margaret Becker covers Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" and Elsa Harris sings a tribute to Mahalia Jackson. It's slightly misleading calling this a Larry Howard album, there are twelve well-known artists altogether making an appearance. The recording is not as clean as a studio album and some of the rehearsals were done over the phone. But out of the 18 songs there is something for everybody. BRIGHT SIDE OF THE BLUES: It's appropriate that with the recent blues renaissance as practised by its white Southern exponents The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynrd and Blues Traveller it should finally be the turn of fellow Southerner and former Grinderswitch guitarist Larry Howard (remember the old John Peel theme tune "Pickin' The Blues"?) to make the blues album he has been promising to for years. Taking his cue from the 'blues-lite' style that has proved so successful for Gary Moore and Steve Miller in recent years, Howard has produced an infectious album that unashamedly and seamlessly blends the gospel and the blues in a way that is neither patronising nor pietistic. Standout tracks include a retelling of Jesus' parable of the wedding feast, "Dancin' At The Wedding Ball", and Rez frontman and co-producer Glenn Kaiser's "I Found Out". The album's success is due in part to Howard being surrounded by seasoned blues musicians, especially Hammond organist Chris 'Hambone' Cameron and a steaming five-man horn section assembled by veteran Chicago arranger Tom Tom Washington (Earth, Wind And Fire, Phil Collins, the Chi-Lites). But the musical icing on this particular cake has to be the rather tasty finger-picking fretwork and the lived-in gravelly vocals of Larry Howard himself. 'Bright Side Of The Blues' is exactly what it says - an excellent and upbeat album that deserves to be in any blues devotee's record collection. A radio-friendly recording, it deserves much radio exposure. So how about it, Paul Jones? AMERICAN ROOTS: The opening track "Boogie Man" clouts the deceiver fairly and squarely in the mouth both vocally and musically. This plaintively lays it all out on the solid, bluesy passion with great abandonment and honesty. Joining in this blues rock statement recorded in Macon, Georgia and Lebanon (Tennessee that is!) is country rocker Charlie Daniels. If you like your Christian music hot and spicy, you won't find it comes more peppery than this. Not for the faint hearted, Larry Howard says he left behind money, alcohol, drugs, and other satanic traps before he found his fulfilment in personal faith(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)