Larry McNeely

Larry McNeely (born January 3, 1948 Lafayette, Indiana), is an American five-string banjo player known for his collaboration with Glen Campbell and for recording several soundtracks for different motion pictures.

Biography

McNeely began playing the banjo in 1961. In the following years, he absorbed both Don Reno's style and the Keith style. He moved to LaFollette, Tennessee in 1965 to join the Pinnacle Mountain Boys and soon afterwards, he became a member of "Roy Acuff and his Smokey Mountain Boys". Around 1967, he taught music lessons to Tom and Bill Gibson on banjo and guitar, respectively. In 1969, he joined the Glen Campbell Show as a replacement for John Hartford. About five years later, he was working with Burl Ives and later with Smothers Brothers. He formed the "Larry McNeely Trio" in 1975. In the fall of the 1970s, McNeely began his career as a studio session player for movie soundtracks. Over the years he's been working with artists such as, Mac Davis, Eddie Kendricks, Percy Faith and Barbara Mandrell. He became a member of "Southern Manor", a progressive bluegrass band in 1984. Within a year he was back, working with Roy Acuff.

References

• Tony Trischka, Pete Wernick, Masters of the 5-String Banjo, Oak Publications, (1988)

DISCOGRAPHY LP- Rhapsody for Banjo ..Larry McNeely - Flying Fish Records 1976. Most of the music by McNeely on Flying Fish Music and Great Stoned Highway Pub. He includes a cover of Benny Goodman's "Slipped Disc", Thomas Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" and Brahm-Furber's " Limehouse Blues" LP - Larry McNeely With Geoff Levin & Jack Skinner - CONFEDERATION on Record Label Sheffield Lab,LAB-9, 1978