Barry Middleton (BM) interview with Larry Garner (Larry) - July 2010

BM: Your first experiences of the Gospel Music & Blues must be pretty unique with your early years spent in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, who in those early years did you get the most inspiration from?

Larry: My Uncles George Lathers for Blues and my Uncle George Bel for gospel, my cousin's Joe Louis Thomas and Leon Williams were R&B. Also the traveling guitar playing preachers Elder Utah Smith and the Reverend Charlie Jackson.
 
BM: Is New Orleans still the hotbed of the blues after Katrina?

Larry: I haven't been on the music scene in New Orleans for a while. Last I heard lots of things had changed down there for the blues but not for the best.

BM: Do you think the blues needs to evolve to stay relevant?

Larry: I look and the blues a little different from most folk. There's blues and then there's blues music...the blues don't evolve, the blues just... are. The blues music evolves daily sometimes for the best and sometimes for the worst.

BM: What other styles of music have you drawn inspiration from?

Larry: Whatever is on the radio when a song comes to mind.

BM: When do you plan to tour the UK & Europe again?

Larry: July to Portugal and Spain. August/September for England, Ireland and Europe.

BM: You have a good relationship with Norman Beaker, how did this come about?

Larry: In the early 90's we toured together because of JSP Records and we got on well then and we reconnected on Face Book and we still get on well.