Monday, April 16, 2012

Larry Norman




            During the early 1970s when I was attending the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, I would often turn on the television in the early morning before leaving for classes and watch the Golden Gospel Hour.  I particularly enjoyed the videos of the Oak Ridge Boys.  They hadn't gone commercial yet and were still singing Southern Gospel.

            I especially would look forward to a clip that sometimes played where the Oak Ridge Boys performed a song called "I Wish We'd All Been Ready".   It wasn't until several years later that I discovered the writer of this song, Larry Norman.  I also discovered that he had been a member of the group People! which had a hit song that was a favorite of mine.

            Larry Norman is sometimes called the "Father of Christian Rock".     He was definitely a huge influence early on.



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11 comments:

  1. The nearest we ever had to a Gospel Hour in the UK was the Epilogue which was a short prayer read in a solemn voice by a very serious looking vicar. It lasted for about five minutes every night before the television transmission closed down for the night.
    Thanks again for mentioning my blog. A to Z of Nostalgia

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  2. I've not heard of Larry Norman, but then I don't listen to much Christian rock, but not because I don't like it - there's no radio station with that format. I'm one of the lazy ones (or cheap) who don't make their own CD's.

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  3. I have not heard of Larry Norman but I did enjoy your post.

    Yvonne.

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  4. Larry Norman...oh yes...he too died a couple of years ago...I never really got into his music, one summer at camp we listened to a lot of him...the first time I heard him was around 1980 in one of those old, "Jesus is coming" movies...can't remember the title but it was frightening and I'm sure cheesy now if I were to see it.

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  5. Rosalind -- I too remember seeing similar short meditative spots on television.

    Em -- Though there are more of them now, the stations that broadcast CCM have always been few and far between.

    Yvonne -- You might be more familiar with Larry Norman's original group People!.

    Ron -- Larry Norman is a rather acquired taste. His voice is unique and he has a rather eclectic body of work. I think he tends to be more one of those musicians' musicians or one emulated by songcrafters than a mainstream artist. Definitely a product of the late 60s / early 70s music scene.

    Lee

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  6. Larry Norman is new to me as well but I like his voice. Also, I love the A-Z buttons! They are addictive. :D

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  7. Thank you for introducing Larry Norman. I also just noticed your A-Z buttons. :-)

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  8. i too have heard this song--but not larry---wonderful singer--so touching

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  9. I'd never heard of the Golden Gospel Hour or Larry Norman, but I enjoyed your post.

    Susanne
    PUTTING WORDS DOWN ON PAPER

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  10. I really enjoyed Larry Norman's music in the late 70's. I even had the pleasure of seeing him and Randy Stonehill in concert in Vancouver, BC once. Great blog here!

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  11. Thanks for the latter comments that I did not yet acknowledge.

    Susanne -- the Golden Gospel Hour was a local show in Knoxville, Tennessee.

    Neta -- Nice line-up. I used to listen to a lot of Randy Stonehill's music too.

    Lee

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