Larry Carlton

For other people named Larry Carlton, see Larry Carlton (disambiguation).
Larry Carlton

Larry Carlton in Ithaca, New York, 1987
Background information
Birth name Larry Eugene Carlton
Born (1948-03-02) March 2, 1948
Torrance, California, U.S.
Genres Jazz fusion, rock, pop
Occupation(s) Musician, composer
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1962–present
Labels Warner Bros., MCA, GRP
Associated acts Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, The Crusaders, Fourplay
Website www.larrycarlton.com
Notable instruments
1969 Gibson ES-335

Larry Eugene Carlton (born March 2, 1948) is an American guitarist who built his career as a studio musician in the 1970s and '80s for acts such as Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell. He has participated in thousands of recording sessions, recorded on hundreds of albums in many genres, including television and movies, and on over one hundred gold records. He has been a member of the jazz fusion groups The Crusaders and Fourplay and has maintained a long solo career.[1]

Music career

Session work

Carlton was born in Torrance, California in 1948 and at the age of six began guitar lessons. His interest in jazz came from hearing guitarist Joe Pass on the radio. From Pass he moved on to jazz guitarists Barney Kessel and Wes Montgomery and blues guitarist B.B. King. He went to junior college and Long Beach State College while playing professionally at clubs in Los Angeles. [1]

During the 1970s, he found steady work as a studio musician in a variety of genres: pop, jazz pop, rock, rhythm and blues, soul, country, on electric guitar and acoustic guitar. Carlton appeared on hundreds of recording sessions with Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Sammy Davis, Jr., Paulinho Da Costa, the Fifth Dimension, Herb Alpert, Christopher Cross, Dolly Parton, Andy Williams, and the Partridge Family. In 1982 he appeared on The Nightfly by Donald Fagen, lead singer for Steely Dan.[1]

His guitar work on Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne" from their 1976 LP The Royal Scam was ranked No. 80 on a list of the best guitar songs on record by Rolling Stone magazine.[2]

Solo career

Carlton recorded his debut solo album, With a Little Help from My Friends, in 1968. In the mid-'70s he built his own studio in Burbank, California, and called it Room 335 after the Gibson ES-335, an electric guitar he played often. He has recorded most of his albums at Room 335. In 1988, with his solo career in ascent, he was shot in the throat by a teenager outside Room 353, damaging nerves and vocal cords, and delaying completion of the album he was working on at the time, On Solid Ground. [3][1] His left arm was paralyzed and for six months he was unable to play more than a few notes.[4]

Carlton produced six albums from 1978 to 1984. His version of "Sleepwalk" by Santo Farina climbed the pop and adult contemporary charts. From 1985–1990 he did various solo projects, including the live album Last Nite.

Carlton was commissioned to compose music for the king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, in honor of the king's birthday.[1] He recorded The Jazz King (Sony BMG, 2008) with a jazz orchestra that included Tom Scott, Nathan East, and Earl Klugh.[5]

Awards and honors

Notable instruments

Carlton is best known for his 1969 Gibson ES-335.[6] Other guitars he owns and plays include a 1951 Fender Telecaster, a 1964 Fender Stratocaster, and a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Special.[7] He has used a Fender Vibrolux amplifier, but his standard setup included a Dumble.[6]

Personal life

Carlton married contemporary Christian music artist Michele Pillar in 1987; they divorced in 2013. He is the father of bass player Travis Carlton and Katie Carlton.

Discography

Solo studio albums

Compilation

Live

Soundtrack

With Fourplay

With The Crusaders

As sideman

With Steely Dan

With Joni Mitchell

With others

Video

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Skelly, Richard. "Larry Carlton". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs" at the Wayback Machine (archived May 30, 2008). Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  3. ↑ Gress, Jesse (1 September 2009). "10 Things You Gotta Do To Play Like Larry Carlton". Guitar Player. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  4. ↑ Heim, Chris (30 June 1989). "Guitarist Larry Carlton Puts Tragic Shooting Behind Him". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Jazz King Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  6. 1 2 Heidt, John (May 2001). "Larry Carlton: The Return of Mr. 335". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  7. ↑ Bolinger, John (July 2014). "Rig Rundown: Larry Carlton". Premier Guitar. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Larry Carlton | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  9. ↑ "Theme from Hill Street Blues". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Larry Carlton | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 December 2016.

External links


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