Larry Muhoberac
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Larry Muhoberac | |
---|---|
Birth name | Lawrence Gordon Muhoberac, Jr |
Also known as | Larry Owens, Larry Gordon |
Born | United States |
Genre(s) | Rock Pop |
Occupation(s) | Musician Arranger |
Instrument(s) | Piano Organ |
Years active | 1950s - Present |
Associated acts | Elvis Presley, Woody Herman, TCB Band |
Larry Muhoberac is an American musician, producer and composer whom at various times has also been known as Larry Owens and Larry Gordon.
Born Lawrence Gordon Muhoberac Jr, he is perhaps best 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, Nevada on July 31, 1969 [1]and remained until at least February 1970. [2] Other members were James Burton (lead guitar), Jerry Scheff (bass), John Wilkenson (rhythm guitar) and Ronnie Tutt (drums).
Muhoberac was 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, Tennessee in 1959. In 1961, then known as Larry Owens, his band played two of Presley’s Memphis charity concerts.[3] He moved to the West Coast in the early sixties to work as a studio musician. There, Presley first recruited him to work on his movie soundtracks.[4] He developed a reputation as a top player, working first with Elvis and later with Neil Diamond, Tina Turner Ray Charles, Tanya Tucker, Ray Conniff and Barbra Streisand among others. Later in his career he arranged and conducted for numerous top acts including Seals & Crofts and Contemporary Christian band The Archers. He immigrated to Australia in 1986 where he continues to produce and arrange.
He is married to Andra Willis, a former vocalist on the Lawrence Welk Show.
His son, Jamie Muhoberac, is also a session musician.
[edit] Selected discography
- 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)
- 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)
- Fresh Surrender (1976) The Archers (Arrangements/keyboards)
- TNT Tanya Tucker (1978) (keyboards)
- Stand Up! (1979) The Archers (Producer/Arranger/keyboards)
[edit] References
- ^ Elvis Presley & the TCB Band
- ^ On Stage: February 1970 –LIVE- Elvis; RCA, ASIN: B000002WFI
- ^ Bio: Elvis.com TCB Band
- ^ Paradise Hawaiian Style
[edit] External links
- BMI Composer search http://repertoire.bmi.com/
- Elvis Presley & The TCB Band http://www.elvis.com.au/
- The Trickster website http://chervokas.typepad.com/trickster/2004/10/elvis_presely_a.html
- Official James Burton website http://www.james-burton.net/elvispresley.html
- Discogs.com http://www.discogs.com/artist/Larry+Muhoberac
- TNT from Answers.com http://www.answers.com/topic/t-n-t