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Bluesfest, Windor, Canada. 07/12/13 with Larry McCray Band and Scott Holt Video by Larry Blumenstein Video Productions. Contact:
larryblumenstein@aol.com, 917-817-2112. (Copyright 2013) (c)
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Larry McCray is one of a handful of talented young blues performers leading the genre across boundaries and into the new century. McCray's savage blues-rock guitar and warm, soulful vocals have drawn attention worldwide.
McCray's hard work paid off when he became the first artist signed by Virgin Records' blues division -- Pointblank Records. In 1990, they released his debut, "Ambition," which was well received by the U.S. and European press.
1993 saw the release of McCray's second album, Delta Hurricane, which was recorded in Memphis with the notoriously funky Uptown Horns. The guitarist's gut wrenching rendition of Warren Haynes' power ballad, "Soul Shine," opened many ears to McCray's talent and diversity.
In 1998, Born To Play The Blues moved the story of McCray's broadly appealing music forward another giant step. Bold, brawny, often dazzling guitar lines are matched with confident, soul-drenched vocals. Understated funk rhythms and crunchy rock riffs meet searing slow blues and booty-bumping shuffles.
The year 2000 found the guitarist co-establishing his own independent record company together with Koch, forming Magnolia Records. The release Believe It kicked it off, putting McCray on chart to continue to release albums on his own dime and time, without the business or rules of a pressing-type of label.
McCray also sights a career highlight as being honored as the Orville Gibson 2000 Male Blues Guitarist of the Year. "Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, like seven or eight other people were nominated, as well" stated McCray.
With Magnolia Records his new home and a young son to raise, McCray was able to pull back into his personal life for a while. McCray keeps busy on the road trying to find the time to write music.
Magnolia Records released the McCray's first live album, Live On 75, on December 6, 2005. In November of 2006, Larry's latest studio record, simply self titled -- Larry Mccray, was released and is gaining popularity in the U.S. from coast to coast and is also making a splash in Europe.
2013 sees Larry McCray headed back in the studio this February in preparation of a long anticipated new recording due out later this spring in time for what is becoming a busy schedule of touring dates ahead.
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Larry McCray (born April 5, 1960, Magnolia, Arkansas, United States is an American blues guitarist and singer.
McCray, the second youngest of nine siblings, grew up living on a farm.[McCray learned guitar from his sister, Clara. "She used to play real low-down and dirty", McCray recalled years later. His family moved to Saginaw, Michigan in 1972,[3] and McCray took the influence of his sibling, and such as the three Kings (B.B., Freddie and Albert) to playing the local club circuit, with his brothers Carl on bass guitar and Steve on drums.
After high school, McCray worked on General Motors' assembly line, before recording Ambition, his 1991 debut album for Point Blank Records, in a Detroit friend's basement recording studio. He was soon touring with his label-mate, Albert Collins.[1] His 1993 follow-up, Delta Hurricane, was produced by the veteran British blues devotee, Mike Vernon.
In 1999, McCray recorded a cover version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" for the tribute album, Tangled Up in Blues. In 2000, McCray founded his own independent record label, Magnolia Records, and Believe It was its first release that same year.[2] Magnolia released McCray's first live album, Live on Interstate 75, in mid-2006, and this was followed in 2007 with Larry McCray.
His most recent tour commenced in Chicago on December 11, 2009.
McCray has one son, Bleau McCray-Morel with Kelly Morel.