Prescript: I was born in Oakland California in 19%# but within a few months moved to San Francisco where my father bought a nightclub called "Duke and Larry's"
(his partner was Larry Cronin. ) By the time I was 6 years old I met some of the most creative musicians in the business. Everyday after school I would literally run to the club to see who was rehearsing. There was Dave Brubeck ( my father said he would never make it because his music was too far out!) I had lunch ( actually it was only a hot dog) with John Coltrane ( one of the greatest and most creative saxophone players in history)  I remember meeting Charlie Parker, the Oscar Petersen Trio with Ray Brown on bass , Joe Pass, and so many more...Talk about musical influences.      

By the time I was eight I knew I was going to be a musician. My father said if I wanted to play an instrument I would have to study music so I began studying classical guitar. A few years later we moved to Southern California. I began playing guitar professionally at the age of 15. While attending  Mark Keppel high school in Los Angeles I worked with a band  called the Blendells who was being booked by a newcomer to L.A. radio by the name of Casey Casem ( who went on to become one of the most popular personalities in the history of radio broadcasting!). We also worked as house band for the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. We had the privilege of working with some of the most exciting artists of all time. The Temptations, the Four Tops, The Supremes, The Four Seasons, The Righteous Brothers, Wilson Pickett. Incredible experience for a sixteen year old!  I will never forget the summer when a very short, kinda' weird looking guy came on stage with this very uncomfortable looking tall skinny girl and TRIED to sing a couple of songs. They called themselves Caesar and Cleo! ( For those of you just arriving on planet earth that couple came to be known as Sonny and Cher)  

A year later we worked quite a bit in Hollywood. At the RED VELVET (on the Strip) we were the opening act for the Ike and Tina Turner Review.  She finally dumped Ike and the rest is history! 

At this time we were being managed by another radio personality who also had a television show entitled "Shindig." Jimmy O'neill pulled some strings and got us  an audition at RCA (studio 4). We were in competition for a record contract with an unknown band from San Francisco. It was either them or us...You have heard of the Jefferson Airplane?...needless to say who got the contract.

Next band I worked in ( Brown Dust ...I had nothing to do with choosing that ridiculous name!) We had a record contract with Family Productions (Artie Ripp and TJ Bruno). There was another artist on the label at that time who was extremely talented but just couldnt get a break. He was working in lounges under an assumed name because he owed everybody money. Yep...that was Billy Joel. During those years I was dedicated to becoming an accomplished musician
(guitar) I had no concept of networking nor did I care. BIG MISTAKE HUH? I copped every guitar lick BB King ever created.
As a matter of fact when everybody in high school was listening to either the Beach Boys or the Beatles I was buying every B B King album I could get my hands on. ( He was on Crown Records. The LPs were $.99 cents in those days!) I was also influenced by  Albert King, Albert Collins, Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Santana, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Paige, Howard Roberts, Joe Pass, and Wes Montgomery ( still love to play in octaves).

Anyway in 1968 ( I was still under age but had fake ID) I joined Round Robin and Project 68. We worked a small room in Vegas called the Pussycat A go-go. I couldn't get a sheriffs card so I had to spend all my brakes in the dressing room. One Friday night in the dressing room walks Bill Cosby along with Nancy Wilson and Sidney Poitier. They came in to tell me how much they appreciated my guitar playing ( the blues). We worked all over the world for two years. From Canada to Hawaii ( as a matter of fact we worked with a much younger Carlos Santana in a special concert inside Diamond Head Crater (Waikiki). I really have to congratulate Carlos for his incredible musical contributions! 

1969 was the year I produced my first MUSICAL MONTAGE' entitled, " Voyage to the Moon." I began experimenting with two Panasonic quadraphonic reel to reel tape recorders to create AMBIENT Musical environments by massively manipulating sound through a wide variation of recording techniques.( this was 10 years prior to the so-called Ambient Musical creations by OTHER UNNAMED artists!)  The piece aired on Los Angeles radio station KPFK in November of 69.'
I tried to market the concept as SYZYGY but failed to gain any recognition. After more than 6 years of studio recording and no commercial success I finally gave up and went back to performing on the road... 

In 1975 I landed a gig with a band that had a top 40 hit. The original guitar player left the band ( ego problems) so I jumped in. Problem was... The Spiral Starecase ( Pat Upton lead singer and writer) only had the one hit  "I love you more today than yesterday" and was on the way down when I got the shot.   Again, close but no cigar.

Next thing I know I'm happily married and living on the island of Maui, Hawaii. (Still married to the same wonderful girl for 30 years!)  We spent 11 incredible years on Maui. I played the Resorts and also opened an audio/video production company and worked as a commercial photographer ( had one of my experimental laser projection photographs used as cover art for the May 1979 issue of OMNI magazine). During those years ( 79 to 90) I composed and recorded quite a bit of music. In 85' I took my Porta-Studio 4 track down to the ocean and recorded crashing waves. I then composed some special music. Put the two together and I was AGAIN recording AMBIENT music. I submitted the material to several record companies and got one reply. Windom Hill said there was some kind of problem with the tape. They complained about a hissing noise ( Yes that WAS ocean surf guys!)  

For the past few years I have had the privilege to work with some incredibly talented artists. Ron Ellington, the nephew of the GREAT Duke Ellington, is one of the most versatile entertainers around. He plays piano, guitar, bass, trumpet, sax and drums! He also does incredible vocal impressions of everyone from Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder to Billy Eckstein. We were privileged to have been the first duo to ever perform in the main room of the Riviera Hotel in Vegas
(TOUGH gig for a duo!)  We also worked with drummer and great blues singer, Moses Armstrong ( nephew of the incredible Louis Armstrong). I was in Jazz/Blues heaven!

I went back to school a few years ago in order to master the computer ( impossible!) but I have since dedicated my life to the development of specialized software for the entertainment industry.

Larry North: (U.S.A.) Guitar synthesist, musical producer/composer, arranger/recording engineer, video producer/director, video/graphics artist,commercial photographer...and computer technician. Schizophrenia Musical Armory: Roland GR09 Guitar Synth, ARP 2500, Odyssey, EML Electrocomp 101, CAT SRM, Roland SH-1, Sequential Circuits Pro One, MultiMoog,   Memory Moog.Prophet-5, Minimoog, Roland Jupiter 6 and Jupiter 8, Korg MS20, and Yamaha DX7. (the rest is a secret)

Age: "Sometimes I feel like I'm 80, sometimes I act like I'm 15,
but I usually hang around 28 or 29!"