Larry Muhoberac
Encyclopedia
Larry Muhoberac is an American
musician
, producer
and composer
who 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 and remained until at least February 1970. 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.
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. 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 emigrated 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 sons, Jamie Muhoberac
and Parrish Muhoberac
, are also well known session musicians, arrangers, producers, and engineers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
who 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
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
in Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
’s TCB Band
TCB Band
The TCB Band was a group of professional musicians who formed the core rhythm section of Elvis Presley’s band from August 1969 until his death in 1977. TCB stands for Taking Care of Business, a personal motto Presley adopted in the early 1970s...
.
He first appeared live with the group at Presley’s Hotel International debut in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
on July 31, 1969 and remained until at least February 1970. Other members were James Burton
James Burton
James Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
(lead guitar), Jerry Scheff
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
(bass), John Wilkenson (rhythm guitar) and Ronnie Tutt (drums).
Muhoberac was raised in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and began playing accordion and piano at age five. He went on the road with Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
at 20, and moved to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
in 1959. In 1961, then known as Larry Owens, his band played two of Presley’s Memphis charity concerts.
He moved to the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
in the early sixties to work as a studio musician. There, Presley first recruited him to work on his movie soundtracks. He developed a reputation as a top player, working first with Elvis and later with Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
, Ray Conniff
Ray Conniff
Joseph Raymond Conniff was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.-Biography:...
and Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
among others. Later in his career he arranged and conducted for numerous top acts including Seals & Crofts and Contemporary Christian band The Archers
The Archers (musical group)
The Archers were one of America's earliest Contemporary Christian music groups. They were originally brothers Tim and Steve Archer, Nancye Short and Billy Rush Masters. After Masters and Short departed in 1977, sister Janice Archer joined....
. He emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1986 where he continues to produce and arrange.
He is married to Andra Willis
Andra Willis
Andra Willis is an American singer best known from television's The Lawrence Welk Show from 1967 to 1969.Born and raised in Danville, Virginia. Andra began singing professionally with her sisters Toneda and Sheryl...
, a former vocalist on the Lawrence Welk Show.
His sons, Jamie Muhoberac
Jamie Muhoberac
Jamie Muhoberac is a session keyboardist with numerous credits, including The All-American Rejects, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones , Backstreet Boys, Aly & AJ, Bob Dylan, Goo Goo Dolls, Chris Cornell , My Chemical Romance, Paradise Lost, Girlfriend, Carmen Rizzo and Pet Shop Boys...
and Parrish Muhoberac
Parrish Muhoberac
Parrish Muhoberac is an American/Australian producer, guitarist, singer, bassist, drummer, pianist, violinist, violist, cellist, bass player, percussionist and audio engineer who has worked with a number of performers, including Paul Young, Jimmy Barnes, Keith Urban, Jeff Duff, Cantonese singer...
, are also well known session musicians, arrangers, producers, and engineers.
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 GirlDiamond Girl (album)Diamond Girl is the pop/folk duo Seals and Crofts' fifth studio album, and was one of the best sellers of 1973. The title track reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer...
(1973) Seals & Crofts (keyboards/arrangements) - I Am I Said (1973) Neil Diamond (keyboards)
- Fresh SurrenderFresh SurrenderFresh Surrender was The Archers fourth studio album and third Light Records release. It and its title song were nominated for a Gospel Music Association Dove Award, and claimed an astounding seven airplay hits for the Jesus music stars. Perhaps more importantly it signaled a marked change for the...
(1976) The Archers (Arrangements/keyboards) - TNT Tanya Tucker (1978) (keyboards)
- Stand Up!Stand Up! (album)Stand Up! was The Archers fifth studio album and fourth Light Records release. It was co-produced by Elvis Presley’s TCB Band keyboardist Larry Muhoberac and studio engineer John Guess....
(1979) The Archers (Producer/Arranger/keyboards)
External links
- Interview with Larry Muhoberac http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview_with_larry_muhoberac.shtml
- 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