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LARRY GARNER

Street Talkin’ Blues Poet

www.myspace.com/larrygarnerbluesband

	photo by Tom Maguire

Garner’s strength lies in his captivating story telling.

You would think that a Louisiana bred Bluesman inspired by such luminaries as Silas Hogan, Clarence Edwards, and Raful Neal might be writing about shop worn topics like crosscut saws.  Instead, we get “Keep Four Cars Running,” where a father laments about the expenses of heading a large household or the universal pain of suffering through "Another Bad Day”.  And with other tunes like “Virus Blues” or “If She Tells You No,” listeners can tell that Larry Garner is paying close attention to what’s happening and putting it into songs — which is what Blues performers have been doing since the form caught the imagination of workers toiling in Jim Crow’s cotton fields.

Combine Garner’s songwriting abilities with his convincing vocals and incisive guitar style, and it’s somewhat shocking that he’s flown so far below the radar of the casual Blues fan.  Not that critics haven’t taken notice: Garner has won a number of Blues awards from all over the world in addition to 5 W.C.Handy Blues Award nominations including Contemporary Blues, Male Artist Of the Year in 2001.

Some people call ’em as they see ’em; others call ’em as they are; but Larry says they ain’t nothin’ til he calls ‘em.  Catch up with Larry Garner on his return to Toronto at Waterfront Blues.  Larry’s just released his 8th album – Here Today Gone Tomorrow – and he’s got some engaging life stories that he wants to share with you.