Carlton, Larry (2nd March 1948-Present)

He is a guitarist and composer born Larry Eugene Carlton in Torrance, California who began is guitar studies when he was just six years old. After starting high school he began to take an interest in jazz and carried the influence of several of the major artists in that genre of music into his style of playing.

He became a much sought after session musician in the 1970s, thought to have been a member of The Wrecking Crew, who performed on around 500 recordings a year right through until the 1980s.

In 1971 he became a member of The Crusaders, remaining with them until 1976, while still working as a session musician. In 1976 his work on Steely Dan’s The Royal Scam saw him being honoured by Rolling Stone Magazine with the “third best guitar solo on record” on “Kid Charlemagne”.

In 1977 he decided to pursue his solo career and was signed by Warner Bros. Records which saw him releasing his Larry Carlton in 1978 which he recorded in his studio Room 335. The following year he was a performer on the Grammy Award winner Christopher Cross.

He released a further 5 albums between then and 1984 which are Mr. 335 Live in Japan, Strikes Twice, Sleepwalk which entered both the adult contemporary and pop charts, Eight Times Up and Friends which gained him a Grammy nomination.

In 1985 he changed record labels and went to MCA Master Series where he made Alone/But Never Alone. The next year he released the live album Last Nite and in 1987 Discovery hit the shelves where his cover of The Doobie Brothers “Minute by Minute” brought him another Grammy Award.

Things changed dramatically for him in 1988 while he was in Room 335 working on his album On Solid Ground. When he was outside the studio he was shot in the throat from a mindless and random act of violence. This left his vocal cords and nerves being significantly damaged and his arm temporarily unable to be used, but through sheer determination he still managed to complete the album and have it released in 1989.

Not slowing down in the 1990s he released his Kid Gloves in 1992. The next year his Renegade Gentleman appeared.

When 1994 came around he started touring with the guitarist Steve Lukather as well as appearing with other artists who were also on tour. He remained touring until 1997 but within those years he also released Larry and Lee in 1995, The Gift in 1996 and Collection Vol. 2 in 1997. Also in 1997 he joined the group Fourplay as a replacement for Lee Ritenour.

As he moved into the new millennium he released his Fingerprints in 2000 followed by his 2001 Deep Into It and that same year his work with Steve Lukather saw him winning another Grammy Award for No Substitutions: Live In Osaka.

2003 saw his Sapphire Blue come out and two years later The Very Best of Larry Carlton was issued. 2006 saw the release of Fire Wire and then in 2007 it was Larry Carlton with Robben Ford Live in Tokyo. Also in 2007 a project known as The Jazz King came about after he had been commissioned to write for the 60^th anniversary of being on the throne coupled with the 80^th birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The CD of this project was only sold in Thailand with the monies made going towards support for the native hill-tribe children. In 2009 he was a guest musician with Steely Dan for six concerts in various cities in America.

When it got to the 2010s he collaborated with Tak Matsumoto for Take Your Pick, which won yet another Grammy Award and in 2011 he released Larry Carlton plays The Sound of Philadelphia. He joined Steely Dan once again in 2011 for a concert in New York.

Throughout his career he has worked with countless artists with just a few of them being The Association, Hoyt Axton, Joan Baez, Bee Gees, Clint Black, David Blue, Booker T. and the MGs, Teresa Brewer, Kim Carnes, Stanley Clarke, Linda Clifford, Michel Colombier, Paulinho Da Costa, Deodato, Billy Eckstine, Randy Edelman, Cass Elliot, Tommy Emmanuel, The Four Tops, Michael Franks, Jerry Garcia, Leslie Gore, Alex Harvey, Thelma Houston, Engelbert Humperdinck, James Ingram, Michael Jackson, Etta James, The Brothers Johnson, Quincy Jones, Abraham Laboriel, James Last, Lobo, Chuck Mangione, Ray Manzarek, Dean Martin, Maureen McGovern, Joni Mitchell, Aaron Neville, Maxine Nightingale, Claus Ogerman, Michael Omartian, Dolly Parton, The Partridge Family, Lou Rawls, Helen Reddy, Minnie Riperton, Johnny Rivers, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Diane Schuur, Ben Sidran, Dusty Springfield, Tavares, Livingston Taylor, The Temptations, Allen Toussaint, Dinah Washington, Andy Williams and Bill Withers.

The numerous albums he has appeared on include Midnight Sun by Herb Alpert, Harbor by America, Stay Tuned by Chet Atkins, The Best Of… by Anita Baker, Careless by Stephen Bishop, Retrospective by Bread, Bloodline by Glen Campbell, Rock Me Baby by David Cassidy, Crossroads Guitar Festival by Eric Clapton, Everything Must Change by Randy Crawford, Oh Yes I Can by David Crosby, Unsung Heroes by The Crusaders, The Greatest Hits (1966-1992) by Neil Diamond, The Nightfly by Donald Fagen, Theme from “Romeo and Juliet” by Percy Faith, Living Together, Growing Together by The 5th Dimension, 4 by Fourplay, Angel Clare by Art Garfunkel, First by David Gates, Off the Wall by Michael Jackson, Glow by Al Jarreau, Cold Spring Harbor by Billy Joel, Country Gentleman by Henry Mancini, A Special Part of Me by Johnny Mathis, Motown by Michael McDonald, Soul Kiss by Olivia Newton John, Don’t Cry Now by Linda Ronstadt, Endless Flight by Leo Sayer, Get Closer by Seals & Crofts, Who Is This Bitch, Anyway? By Marlena Shaw, Katy Lied by Steely Dan, Stoney End by Barbra Streisand, Closeup by Frankie Valli, Friends in Love by Dionne Warwick, The Right Stuff by Vanessa Williams and World’s Greatest Melodies/Spotlight on Jackie Wilson by Jackie Wilson.

He is also known for his guitar performances on the Grammy Award winning theme from Hill Street Blues as well as the TV series Magnum p.i. and the soundtracks of movies such as Against All Odds, Enter the Dragon, Scrooged and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Joan Baez recordings
Forever Young (Bob Dylan )
A&M 1516-S (2633-S)

Sources:

Carlton, Larry (2nd March 1948-Present)

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