Larry Davis was born on Dec. 4, 1936, in Pine Bluff. He was raised in England, Little Rock and Pine Bluff. At 14 years of age, he played professionally first as a drummer, then as a bassist for blues harmonica player Sunny Blair in Little Rock.
In the mid-1950s, following the recommendation of singer Bobby Bland, he teamed up with guitarist Fenton Robinson. The two played regularly at clubs in Little Rock and Pine Bluff, where Davis became well-known for his rich voice.
In 1958, Davis and Robinson recorded several records after signing a recording contract at Duke Records. Davis released three records, which included “Angels in Houston” and “Texas Flood.” “Texas Flood” was Davis’ most commercially successful record. It later became an electric blues classic and launched the career of guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who recorded the song.
Davis eventually moved to St. Louis, Mo., after recording opportunities became scarce. Throughout the 1960s, he played bass in Albert King’s band. In 1968, Davis recorded several songs with Virgo and Kent Records. In 1970, he switched from bass to guitar, modeling his style after the single-string playing style of Albert King and B.B. King.
In 1972, a motorcycle accident temporarily paralyzed Davis’ left side, limiting his ability to play. Nevertheless, by the end of the decade, Davis slowly returned to the music business. In 1981, he released an album entitled “Funny Stuff” with the Rooster Blues record label. The album was produced by Oliver Sain Jr., who was instrumental in developing rhythm and blues music. “Funny Stuff” succeeded in showcasing his rich, soulful voice and electrifying guitar skills. Davis won four W.C. Handy Awards in 1982.
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Davis recorded critically acclaimed albums with Pulsar, Black and Blue and Bullseye Records. He also played at many major blues festivals and achieved acclaim in Japan and Europe, touring Europe many times.
In the early 1990s, Davis was diagnosed with cancer. In April of 1994, Davis succumbed to the disease, dying at the age of 57.
This article is from ExplorePineBluff.com, a program of the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission. Sources: wikipedia.org — Larry Davis (blues_musician); www.arkansas.com — Arkansas’ Blues Musicians; video.wixstatic.com — WA&P In Pine Bluff: Larry Totsie Davis; The Blues Encyclopedia. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2004. Pg. 254.
Ninfa O. Barnard wrote this article for ExplorePineBluff.com.