This is fun array in that we ask bluegrass strain personalities, some famous, some not so famous, about some of their interests as good as about a strain that they love.
Larry Stephenson is now tangible for his intelligible effort voice, one that has been attracting plaudits given a mid-to-late 1970s when he worked with Cliff Waldron and a New Shades of Grass and, later, with Leon Morris.
Stephenson was innate in Harrisonburg, VA, and grew adult in King George, VA.
Prior to those early years as a veteran musician, he had, with a assistance of his father, schooled to play his primary instrument, a mandolin, during a age of five, and when during a age of 13 he cut this initial record, dual sides cut with his father were expelled on a Lark label.
His adore of bluegrass strain was postulated by to high propagandize where he started his initial band, Larry Stephenson and a New Grass. In a Fall of 1975 they available another singular and an LP of attendant standards, both were expelled on a Major Recording Co. label.
After graduating he indulged in a cache that northern Virginia and Washington DC had to offer that enclosed a cutting-edge bands The Country Gentlemen and, later, The Seldom Scene, as good as normal bluegrass and old-fashioned music.
From 1979 to 1983 he worked with Bill Harrell’s band, The Virginians, and from 1983 to 1988 he was a member of a Bluegrass Cardinals; in both positions Stephenson’s form was raised. So most so that he shaped a Larry Stephenson Band in 1989.
But this is removing forward of myself; in tumble of 1981 Stephenson available an album, Sweet Sunny South (originally on a Outlet label, after as a CD on a Webco label) expelled underneath his possess name.
On Mar 6, 1988, Stephenson seemed with another immature up-coming bluegrass talent, Mark Newton, during Mr. B’s. Family Restaurant, Massapenax, VA. Subsequently, a 2-LP set of recordings from that evening’s performances was released; Live during Mr. B’s (B’s BRLP-1).
From a recover of a LP Every Time we Sing a Love Song, also expelled in 1988, to 1994 Webco expelled 6 of his CDs.
Also in 1989 Stephenson played in a re-formed The Bluegrass Band, a bluegrass super-group that had 4 LPs, dual physical and dual Gospel, sole around telemarketing.
Before a spin of a century Webco expelled 3 CDs of re-issued element also, I See God : A retrospective of Larry’s biggest Gospel recordings, included.
Subsequently, Stephenson available for Pinecastle Records and that tag expelled 6 some-more albums, culminating in a Gospel recover Thankful (PRC 1161, Mar 2008).
In Jun 2008 a tag expelled a DVD The Larry Stephenson Band: In Concert during Cypress Gardens (with footage from 1996) also.
In 2003 Stephenson, along with fellow-residents of White House, TN, David Parmley (guitar, lead vocals), Missy Raines (bass), Jason Carter (violin) and Charlie Cushman (banjo), shaped another bluegrass super-group. They expelled one album, a eponymously-titled White House, in 2003.
When Pinecastle Records folded in Feb 2010 due to owners Tom Rigg’s health problems, Stephenson and his mother Dreama started their possess record tag Whysper Dream Music. They have expelled 3 CDs a initial of that was 20th Anniversary (WDM 7425, Feb 2010).
In 2012 he expelled What Really Matters on Compass Records.
Stephenson has won countless Society for a Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) awards; 5 as Male Vocalist of a Year (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008); dual as Mandolin Player of a Year (2012 and 2017); one any for Recorded Event of a Year for Give This Message to Your Heart from his 20th Anniversary manuscript (2010), and Album of The Year for Pull Your Savior In (2015).
This year (2018) Stephenson will be inducted into a SPBGMA Hall of Greats.
Additionally, in 2006 Stephenson won a IBMA Album of a Year endowment for his appearance in Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer and in 2010 he won a IBMA Recorded Event of a Year for Give This Message to Your Heart, w/ Dailey and Vincent (as found on a 20th Anniversary CD).
Stephenson is a member of a Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame, being inducted in 1996.
What would we like to drink?
“I’ll have a crater of coffee with half half and Splenda.”
Do we wish anything to eat as well?
“How about something sweet….. any Little Debbie or Hostess cakes would do.”
What’s your favorite food?
“A good fry beef meal, crushed potatoes, immature beans… though we adore shrimp!”
And what would we have to splash with that?
“Sweet tea, no lemon or a diet immature tea.”
What’s a nicest dish that we have ever had?
“That’s tough to say, I’ve had many. When we travel, we always devise a eating stops. There’s a good Mexican place in Albuquerque, NM. We’ve stopped there many times over a years. The Palm in Nashville, TN, is wonderful, Casey Jones in Jackson, TN, and whenever we’re in Missouri, we always stop during Lambert’s Café. we also adore a good breakfast….Cracker Barrel, Waffle House. My mother-in-law’s residence for a holidays can’t be beat.
Let’s speak bluegrass….. Where/when did we initial hear bluegrass music?
“My comparison hermit brought home some of a initial bluegrass annals we remember hearing. Jim Jesse, Bill Monroe, Mac Wiseman. My Dad played a small and taught me mandolin when we was five. Growing adult in King George, usually north of Richmond, there were many good radio stations to listen to, and live concerts. In a late 1960s (when we was around 10) my Dad took me to many of a strange bluegrass festivals….Culpepper, VA; Berryville, VA; Camp Springs, NC; Calloway, MD. Saw all a initial era solely Flatt Scruggs and Carter Stanley.”
Which of your possess songs do we have a sold fondness for?
“The Sound That Set My Soul On Fire.
It’s about a initial time we listened a strain Rocky Top. we would have been 11 and a crony played that Decca 45 for me by The Osborne Brothers and it flattering most altered my life. we was bending not usually on bluegrass though The Osborne Brothers.
I’ve created a integrate of Gospel songs I’m really unapproachable of…God Will and Pull Your Savior In.”
What about a strain created by someone else?
“There are so many good writers. Donna Ulisse Rick Stanley wrote Come to Jesus Moment. Jerry Salley and Susanne Johnson wrote Ruby’s Purse. Two of my favorites. Pete Goble wrote The Many Hills Of Time. It’s been a good strain for us from my early days of a band. But, one of my all-time favorite songs is My Favorite Memory created by Darrell Statler and sung by The Osborne Brothers. I’ve never available it given a Osbornes did it as good as it will ever be done. As we can tell, we gaunt a lot towards a ballads.”
Which sold manuscript do we like best and why?
“Now that’s a really tough doubt to answer. Anything by a Country Gentlemen, Cliff Waldron and The Osborne Brothers.
Growing adult in Northern Virginia, I’ve always been a fan of The Country Gentlemen. Then we detected Cliff Waldron. we worked with Cliff in 1977 for about a year and desired him and his strain and we usually can’t go wrong with Osborne Brothers records. One of a things that captivated me to those artists was their material. They did standards as we know them, though they also got element from country, stone and roll, blues and others. When we was younger, we suspicion many of those songs came from bluegrass, like Fox on The Run or Ruby.
I set for hours in front of my Mom and Dad’s stereo personification and singing with those records.”
What’s your favorite bluegrass Gospel plan of all time and why?
“I have two….Calling My Children Home by The Country Gentlemen and Favorite Hymns by The Osborne Brothers.
The Gentleman were always famous for their Gospel strain though there was something special about Calling My Children Home for me. Charlie Waller, Bill Yates, Doyle Lawson and James Bailey….great songs with good voices. Little did we know during a time that Doyle would go on and do a good Gospel strain with his possess band.
After conference a Osborne’s for many years singing their classical bluegrass songs and afterwards here comes a good Gospel manuscript with Gospel classics like What A Friend We Have In Jesus, How Great Thy Art, Crying Holy was usually wonderful. These were songs we was singing in church as a immature boy. As we got comparison we satisfied they were singing them also as immature boys. Great songs with good artists that will mount a exam of time!”
You play a mandolin …. …
“My mandolin is done by Buddy Davis. He lived around Winchester, Virginia, and upheld divided a integrate of years ago. Of course, it called a Davis and we got it in Mar of 1982. It’s a usually mandolin I’ve used given 1982 both on theatre and record and is by distant my favorite instrument.”
What’s your favorite bluegrass memory?
“Playing guitar with The Osborne Brothers on a Grand Ole Opry. Singing effort with Jesse McReynolds. Singing effort and personification mandolin with a strange Seldom Scene for a integrate of years. Singing effort with Charlie Waller. we been sanctified and so really advantageous usually to have a career in bluegrass music. The comparison we get a some-more we comprehend usually how advantageous I’ve been to see and hear what we have given a mid-1960s. we could go on and on with this question.”
How do we keep fit and healthy when we spend so most time on a road?
“I’ve always taken caring of my physique and never abused it. No drugs, never smoked and really small alcohol. Try my best to eat well, though that can be tough during times. Everything in moderation, we guess.”
Are we a sports fan? Who do we follow?