Larry Muhoberac
Lawrence Gordon "Larry" Muhoberac, Jr.; (February 12, 1937 - December 4, 2016, in Erina, New South Wales, Australia[1]) was an American musician, record producer, and composer who was also known under pseudonyms "Larry Owens" and "Larry Gordon".[2][3]
Larry Muhoberac | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Lawrence Gordon Muhoberac, Jr. |
| Also known as | Larry Owens, Larry Gordon |
| Born | February 12, 1937 Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | December 4, 2016 (aged 79) Erina, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | rock, pop, jazz |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 1950s–2016 |
Career in America
Muhoberac is widely known as the original keyboardist in Elvis Presley's TCB Band. He first appeared live with the group at Presley's Hotel International debut in Las Vegas on July 31, 1969.[4] After one tour in Las Vegas, Glen Hardin replaced him on piano in January 1970. Other members from the TCB era were James Burton (lead guitar), Jerry Scheff (bass), John Wilkinson (rhythm guitar), and Ronnie Tutt (drums).
Muhoberac was born and raised in Louisiana and began playing accordion and piano at age five. He went on the road with Woody Herman at 20 and moved to Memphis in 1959. In 1961, using the pseudonym "Larry Owens", he and his band played two of Presley's Memphis charity concerts.[5]
He moved to the West Coast in the early sixties to work as a studio musician. Presley recruited him to work on his movie soundtracks. He developed a reputation as a top player and arranger, working first with Elvis and later with Neil Diamond, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Tanya Tucker, Ray Conniff and Barbra Streisand. Later in his career he arranged and conducted for numerous successful acts, including Seals & Crofts, Nancy Sinatra and Contemporary Christian band The Archers.
He composed themes to many TV shows during this time as a production music composer for Network Music, including the theme song to The Bold and the Beautiful, for which he received neither credit nor royalties. He composed the opening theme for the Lawrence Welk Show, and also "Interlude", the title theme for the Bob Ross television show The Joy of Painting.[6]
Emigration and career in Australia
In 1986, he moved to Australia,[7] where he produced records, played piano, and did arrangements for Keith Urban, Rick Price, Grace Knight, Silverchair, and Col Joye. His wife was Andra Willis, a vocalist on The Lawrence Welk Show who had a successful career as a solo artist, with numerous hit singles. His sons, Jamie Muhoberac and Parrish Muhoberac, are well known session musicians, arrangers, producers, and engineers.
Selected discography
- Nancy & Lee Again (1972) Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood (arranger)
- Gratifaction / Can't Take My Eyes Off You (1973) Petula Clark (arranger, conductor)
- Woman (1973) Nancy Sinatra (arranger, band leader, piano)
- Cherry Smiles: The Rare Singles (2009) Nancy Sinatra (bandleader, piano)
- Frankie & Johnny (1966) Elvis Presley (keyboards)
- Paradise Hawaiian Style (1966) Elvis Presley (keyboards)
- Speedway (1968) Elvis Presley (keyboards)
- Stay Away Joe (1968) Elvis Presley (keyboards)
- Elvis: In Person At The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada [LIVE] April 1970 (keyboards)
- Elvis On Stage: February 1970 –LIVE- (keyboards)
- Rock Requiem (1971) Lalo Schifrin
- Stony End (1971) Barbra Streisand (keyboards)
- Summer Breeze (1972) Seals & Crofts (keyboards/arrangements)
- Diamond Girl (1973) Seals & Crofts (keyboards/arrangements)
- I Am I Said (1973) Neil Diamond (keyboards, arrangements)
- Take A Ten (1974) Masa Takagi (keyboards)
- Fresh Surrender (1976) The Archers (arrangements/keyboards)
- TNT (1978) Tanya Tucker (keyboards)
- Stand Up! (1979) The Archers (producer/arranger/keyboards)
- "America's Greatest Hero" (1981) Joey Scarbury (piano)
- Stormy Weather (1991) Grace Knight (producer/arranger)
- Neon Ballroom (1999) Silverchair (arranger)
- Diorama (2002) Silverchair (arranger)
Collaborations
- Tap Root Manuscript - Neil Diamond (1970)
- Stoney End - Barbra Streisand (1971)
- Barbra Streisand - Barbra Streisand (1971)
- Michael Franks - Michael Franks (1973)
- And the Feeling's Good - José Feliciano (1974)
- For My Love... Mother Music - José Feliciano (1974)
- Common Sense - John Prine (1975)
- Just Wanna Rock 'n' Roll - José Feliciano (1975)
- Music, Music - Helen Reddy (1976)
- The Painter - Paul Anka (1976)
- Listen to Your Heart - Paul Anka (1978)
- Songbird - Barbra Streisand (1978)
- Never Alone - Amy Grant (1980)
- It's the World Gone Crazy - Glen Campbell (1981)
References
- Shaw, Lew (March 1, 2017). "Pianist for the stars, Larry Muboberac, has died at 79". Syncopated Times. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
- Who's Who in Rock Music, by William Gary York, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1982 OCLC 8034627
- "The Elvis Information Network home to the best news, reviews, interviews, Elvis photos&in-depth articles about the King of Rock&Roll, Elvis Aaron Presley..." www.elvisinfonet.com.
- "Elvis Presley's TCB Band and Back Up Singers". tcbband.elvis.com.au.
- Bio: Elvis.com TCB Band
- Uitti, Jacob. "Behind the Song: Bob Ross' The Joy of Painting Theme". American Songwriter. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
- Barnes, Denice; Taylor, Matt (September 22, 2016). "Elvis Presley's long-time piano man Larry Muhoberac in Central Coast nursing home". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved October 26, 2022.