Larry Yancey - SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Larry Yancey is a singer/songwriter guitarist from Michigan who is currently a Worship Arts Pastor at Casas Adobes Church in Tucson, AZ. Besides leading worship at the church, Larry is a freelance guitarist and songwriter.
Larry first burst on the scene in 1980 with the Christian music group "Heaven Bound" where Larry created quite a buzz with his guitar work at the ripe age of 19. It was with "Heaven Bound" where Larry first teamed up with Nashville gospel drummer Jeff Davis and schoolmate Brad Scott on bass. This trio then added keyboardist Chris Hansen and Matt Scott, Brad's younger brother on percussion. But it was the addition of female vocalist Jan Morton, Larry's heart flame that really caused the sparks to fly. The bands solid grooves, Larry's fiery guitar solo's, some creative song writing and tight vocal harmonies kept the band busy performing almost every weekend. Time took its toll though and after three years the group dissolved as great friends in 1983. (Oh, by the way, Jan is Larry's wife of 22 years.)
In 1984, Larry again teamed up with Brad Scott and formed the Christian music group "Signals" who performed through out the Midwest opening for popular Christian music acts like Rez Band, Russ Taff, Phil Keaggy, Bash-n-the-code, Mylon Lefever and Broken Heart among many others. This band brought in some new members: versatile Indianapolis music producer Van Lawson on (guitars, bass and keys), wild man drummer John Volker and keyboard wiz Brian Drews. Yancey, Lawson and Drews teamed up to write many memorable pop/rock songs that eventually made there way onto the bands only record release. "Signals" 1988 record project was recorded at "Sweetwater Studio's" in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. The band had a few nibbles from record companies but never got that elusive deal.
Larry left his day job of 7 years with General Motors in 1987 to go full time into music ministry. That made for some lean times for a couple of years where Larry, besides gigging with "Signals", learned to do all kinds of music related jobs. Local guitar and vocal studio work, song publishing, teaching guitar, gigging in small clubs and restaurants, what ever it took to put food on the table and pay the rent. After five years of jamming, good times and bad, Signals called it quits in 1989. For Larry, it ushered in a new career path, another calling on the horizon.
In 1990, after deciding not to move to Nashville, Larry took a position at Kalamazoo Community church, in Michigan. It was a start - up church that embraced the "seeker" driven church model. Larry cut his teeth as a Worship Arts Director, building music, drama, dance and technical teams. It is ministering in the church where Larry feels the most fulfilled because he truly believes that the church is the hope of the world.
1991 was a difficult year for Larry and his wife Jan as they lost their six year old daughter Jessica to brain cancer. It ushered in a two-year period of total dependence on Gods love and healing. After a season of grieving, Larry formed a music trio called "In Not Of" with his good friends keyboardist Brian Drews and vocalist Julie Cook Brown. Although the band failed to make a CD, they were finalist in a 1995 national Christian music competition.
The next year Larry and his family moved to Florida to minister in another church in West Palm Beach. It was difficult leaving friends and family but they loaded up the truck and moved to... Florida
While in Florida, Larry learned a lot about technical production and stage design through the productions at church and his good friend Bob Woods. Because the church held their services in a college auditorium, Larry was able to explore the production side of things with all the bells and whistles the venue provided. For at every service they had the capability to fly in scenery and take advantage of the sound, lighting and video of a major production facility.
Musically, Larry met some fine musicians and enjoyed the experiences gained from living in South Florida. He also really enjoyed the beach and drew inspiration from the palms, even though there was turbulence in the church.
After a three-year stint in Florida, Larry again responded with a tough decision to leave the church and move to the west coast and minister in the San Francisco Bay area. For 3 ½ years he was able to build the worship team at Clayton Community church. Because he was able to lead worship almost weekly, Larry had the opportunity to hone in his worship leading skills. Besides the live worship times, Larry was able to learn what it means to truly worship with your life. He spent over a year writing and recording in his laundry room recording studio, the self produced CD titled "Fields of My Youth". Larry wrote all the songs, sang all the vocals, played all the instruments and produced the recording. Also within 1999-2002, Larry was busy doing freelance guitar work for Christian music artists Scott Krippayne and Jon Able among others.
After a wonderful 3 ½ years of ministry in California Larry felt the call to move to Arizona and join long time friend and minister Glenn Barteau at Casas Adobes Church in Tucson AZ. It is a large church that has brought many new ministry challenges, and promises to be an exciting 20 plus years (God willing) of ministry.
Larry is currently compiling his guitar instructional materials and videos to be made available on his web site along with his CD music. He is happy to be writing and recording worship songs as well as continuing to grow as a worship leader and team builder.
Wacky Adventures and Amazing Anecdotes
Here are some musical adventures from my past - some funny, some a little scary, some very heart touching and some pretty exciting...
Funny moments...
* I once played a concert where absolutely know one showed up (0). The band set up and we waited for the audience. When we figured out that no one was coming we practiced, tore down and went out for pizza...
* I sang a Billy Joel song in church where I totally forgot all the words - I could only mumble - the band cracked up during the lead break. Funny thing is, many people afterwards said how much they enjoyed it... (I've blanked on words so many times it's scary - I don't know how many songs I've rewritten on the fly!!!)
* I once had bats swooping down at us during a concert...
* I had the power blow during a concert. We finished the set acapella in the dark...
* I've had no power until the exact minute the concert was suppose to start. Someone forgot to turn on the amps...
* I sang in an outdoor wedding where the wind blew the music all over the place during the song. I improvised until my wife could pick up all the music and put it back on the stand...
* I had a music group called "Heavenbound". We pulled up for a concert - the mar key said, "The Heavenly Bound Singers" - not a real rock and roll band name...
* Another time in Heavenbound the mar key said the "Brad Scott Band" - Brad was the bass player and booking agent...
* That same band played in a gospel festival with a bunch of old time gospel groups and a country bluegrass band with 70-year-old dudes playing saws and stuff!! Actually they were really cool geezers, they liked our rock - n - roll. By the way, you don't know what loud is until you stick your head in a monitor of a gospel quartet!!!... Oh, by the way, we got there really early, set up our sound system up outside - the Quartets all arrived in their big busses - did there set and left. We tore down afterwards and were never paid anything. Totally stiffed... go figure...
* I once did an outdoor festival where we were opening for a big name act; I played the first chord and discovered my guitar was totally out of tune...
* I also started the opening song in a concert before 2500 people playing in Scott Krippaynes band. I played the wrong chords in the wrong key - Instead of being Mr. Rock -n- roll - I sounded totally awful - very humbling...
* I've played in two Bluegrass festivals - can you see a jazz/rocker strumming on an acoustic to "Ill Fly Away Oh, Glory"...
* I once had to learn six songs for a wedding the day of the wedding. The problem is I had no music - so I had to chart the songs from a tape and get it ready to perform that night... I was a wreck by the wedding. I have no idea if I even sang the songs properly. I'm really not a bad procrastinator...
* Leaving from a Sunday barbeque, I went to sing in a wedding. I couldn't find my Day timer, so I didn't know the address of where the church was, and couldn't remember what the churches name was. After I luckily found the church, thinking I was already late, I almost had a heart attack when I noticed I forgot my suit. All I had on was shorts and a T-shirt. Not the best cloths to where when you are singing in a wedding. Thinking I was dead.. I found out I wasn't late - actually a half hour early and that I was going to be singing from a balcony - no one would see me singing... Out of all the many weddings I've sung at - less than five have been from a balcony.. how lucky can you get?
Some Scary Moments...
* On tour to Louisville, KY. A car drove right down our side of the divided highway with its lights off. We just missed hitting it- we had to pull off the road - the car was running from the law..
* On a late night return from Lansing, MI. an oncoming car was driving to fast, slid off the road and across the median just missing us. I could see flames from the bottom of the car as it flew across my windshield into the ditch, flinging a passenger out the window. It chewed that guys right elbow off - no one was seriously hurt though...
* Traveling to Chicago during a blizzard we almost jackknifed our equipment trailer several times on icy roads...
* On my first musical missionary trip to the USSR in 1989, I had to play the first concert in an outdoor park where many Soviet soldiers were... very scary... we had KGB officials watching our every move the whole trip... It was also scary because we were bringing in Bibles and other Christian literature... Illegal in a communist country...
* I was nervous when I had to do a concert with a right finger that had a severe contusion. I didn't know if I'd even be able to play the guitar at all until I went on - I believe adrenaline took over...
* In High school I had a variety show that featured me and my guitar - a whole show to myself!!! The problem is, that week I sang so much that by Friday night's concert I had lost the upper range of my voice. So, after a day of gargling salt water and lowering the keys to all the songs - I was able to pull it off with flying colors...
* I've had a little stage freight when I performed for 15,000 at Willow Creek Church and another 6,000 in a Tallinn, Estonia stadium... also a few times for jail inmates and rowdy drunken crowds in Russia...
Touching moments...
* I sang to my wife in our wedding, a song I wrote for her...
* I remember singing with my guitar several different times the day before a big move - always on the back porch and facing the west...
* The first time I sang my song "Footprints In The Sand"...
* Countless services, concerts and special programs where God has been at the center... He is a God that moves hearts... I am so thankful he has blessed me as His vessel...
* One time I sang Phil Keaggy's song on abortion called "Little Ones". I couldn't make it through. Also performing the song "We Are The People" with my friend vocalist Pam Wyman in a worship service...
* Performing with my uncle Jim, who inspired me to play guitar and go into music ministry...
* Singing worship songs at countless campfires with friends and family...
* Playing guitar with my uncles and cousins at all the family get togethers over the years...
* All those long hours of playing guitar in my room alone and for my brother Charlie and our friend Terry Raver...
* Recording the song "A Family For All Time" on my latest CD. A song about the death of my 6-year-old daughter, Jessica. It took me several years to even be able to sing it...
* Listening to the music for our farewell party from our church in Michigan and to the music at our daughter, Jessica's funeral...
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.yanceyguitar.com
Track List:
1. Chasing the Wind
2. Fields of My Youth
3. Now that I've had Your Love
4. Where's Our Faith
5. Fill this House
6. In His Time
7. Tag (Instrumental)
8. Little by Little
9. Footprints in the Sand
10. Reach for Your Child
11. Our Love is Forever
12. Member
13. A Family for all Time
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
Larry Yancey is a singer/songwriter guitarist from Michigan who is currently a Worship Arts Pastor at Casas Adobes Church in Tucson, AZ. Besides leading worship at the church, Larry is a freelance guitarist and songwriter.
Larry first burst on the scene in 1980 with the Christian music group "Heaven Bound" where Larry created quite a buzz with his guitar work at the ripe age of 19. It was with "Heaven Bound" where Larry first teamed up with Nashville gospel drummer Jeff Davis and schoolmate Brad Scott on bass. This trio then added keyboardist Chris Hansen and Matt Scott, Brad's younger brother on percussion. But it was the addition of female vocalist Jan Morton, Larry's heart flame that really caused the sparks to fly. The bands solid grooves, Larry's fiery guitar solo's, some creative song writing and tight vocal harmonies kept the band busy performing almost every weekend. Time took its toll though and after three years the group dissolved as great friends in 1983. (Oh, by the way, Jan is Larry's wife of 22 years.)
In 1984, Larry again teamed up with Brad Scott and formed the Christian music group "Signals" who performed through out the Midwest opening for popular Christian music acts like Rez Band, Russ Taff, Phil Keaggy, Bash-n-the-code, Mylon Lefever and Broken Heart among many others. This band brought in some new members: versatile Indianapolis music producer Van Lawson on (guitars, bass and keys), wild man drummer John Volker and keyboard wiz Brian Drews. Yancey, Lawson and Drews teamed up to write many memorable pop/rock songs that eventually made there way onto the bands only record release. "Signals" 1988 record project was recorded at "Sweetwater Studio's" in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. The band had a few nibbles from record companies but never got that elusive deal.
Larry left his day job of 7 years with General Motors in 1987 to go full time into music ministry. That made for some lean times for a couple of years where Larry, besides gigging with "Signals", learned to do all kinds of music related jobs. Local guitar and vocal studio work, song publishing, teaching guitar, gigging in small clubs and restaurants, what ever it took to put food on the table and pay the rent. After five years of jamming, good times and bad, Signals called it quits in 1989. For Larry, it ushered in a new career path, another calling on the horizon.
In 1990, after deciding not to move to Nashville, Larry took a position at Kalamazoo Community church, in Michigan. It was a start - up church that embraced the "seeker" driven church model. Larry cut his teeth as a Worship Arts Director, building music, drama, dance and technical teams. It is ministering in the church where Larry feels the most fulfilled because he truly believes that the church is the hope of the world.
1991 was a difficult year for Larry and his wife Jan as they lost their six year old daughter Jessica to brain cancer. It ushered in a two-year period of total dependence on Gods love and healing. After a season of grieving, Larry formed a music trio called "In Not Of" with his good friends keyboardist Brian Drews and vocalist Julie Cook Brown. Although the band failed to make a CD, they were finalist in a 1995 national Christian music competition.
The next year Larry and his family moved to Florida to minister in another church in West Palm Beach. It was difficult leaving friends and family but they loaded up the truck and moved to... Florida
While in Florida, Larry learned a lot about technical production and stage design through the productions at church and his good friend Bob Woods. Because the church held their services in a college auditorium, Larry was able to explore the production side of things with all the bells and whistles the venue provided. For at every service they had the capability to fly in scenery and take advantage of the sound, lighting and video of a major production facility.
Musically, Larry met some fine musicians and enjoyed the experiences gained from living in South Florida. He also really enjoyed the beach and drew inspiration from the palms, even though there was turbulence in the church.
After a three-year stint in Florida, Larry again responded with a tough decision to leave the church and move to the west coast and minister in the San Francisco Bay area. For 3 ½ years he was able to build the worship team at Clayton Community church. Because he was able to lead worship almost weekly, Larry had the opportunity to hone in his worship leading skills. Besides the live worship times, Larry was able to learn what it means to truly worship with your life. He spent over a year writing and recording in his laundry room recording studio, the self produced CD titled "Fields of My Youth". Larry wrote all the songs, sang all the vocals, played all the instruments and produced the recording. Also within 1999-2002, Larry was busy doing freelance guitar work for Christian music artists Scott Krippayne and Jon Able among others.
After a wonderful 3 ½ years of ministry in California Larry felt the call to move to Arizona and join long time friend and minister Glenn Barteau at Casas Adobes Church in Tucson AZ. It is a large church that has brought many new ministry challenges, and promises to be an exciting 20 plus years (God willing) of ministry.
Larry is currently compiling his guitar instructional materials and videos to be made available on his web site along with his CD music. He is happy to be writing and recording worship songs as well as continuing to grow as a worship leader and team builder.
Wacky Adventures and Amazing Anecdotes
Here are some musical adventures from my past - some funny, some a little scary, some very heart touching and some pretty exciting...
Funny moments...
* I once played a concert where absolutely know one showed up (0). The band set up and we waited for the audience. When we figured out that no one was coming we practiced, tore down and went out for pizza...
* I sang a Billy Joel song in church where I totally forgot all the words - I could only mumble - the band cracked up during the lead break. Funny thing is, many people afterwards said how much they enjoyed it... (I've blanked on words so many times it's scary - I don't know how many songs I've rewritten on the fly!!!)
* I once had bats swooping down at us during a concert...
* I had the power blow during a concert. We finished the set acapella in the dark...
* I've had no power until the exact minute the concert was suppose to start. Someone forgot to turn on the amps...
* I sang in an outdoor wedding where the wind blew the music all over the place during the song. I improvised until my wife could pick up all the music and put it back on the stand...
* I had a music group called "Heavenbound". We pulled up for a concert - the mar key said, "The Heavenly Bound Singers" - not a real rock and roll band name...
* Another time in Heavenbound the mar key said the "Brad Scott Band" - Brad was the bass player and booking agent...
* That same band played in a gospel festival with a bunch of old time gospel groups and a country bluegrass band with 70-year-old dudes playing saws and stuff!! Actually they were really cool geezers, they liked our rock - n - roll. By the way, you don't know what loud is until you stick your head in a monitor of a gospel quartet!!!... Oh, by the way, we got there really early, set up our sound system up outside - the Quartets all arrived in their big busses - did there set and left. We tore down afterwards and were never paid anything. Totally stiffed... go figure...
* I once did an outdoor festival where we were opening for a big name act; I played the first chord and discovered my guitar was totally out of tune...
* I also started the opening song in a concert before 2500 people playing in Scott Krippaynes band. I played the wrong chords in the wrong key - Instead of being Mr. Rock -n- roll - I sounded totally awful - very humbling...
* I've played in two Bluegrass festivals - can you see a jazz/rocker strumming on an acoustic to "Ill Fly Away Oh, Glory"...
* I once had to learn six songs for a wedding the day of the wedding. The problem is I had no music - so I had to chart the songs from a tape and get it ready to perform that night... I was a wreck by the wedding. I have no idea if I even sang the songs properly. I'm really not a bad procrastinator...
* Leaving from a Sunday barbeque, I went to sing in a wedding. I couldn't find my Day timer, so I didn't know the address of where the church was, and couldn't remember what the churches name was. After I luckily found the church, thinking I was already late, I almost had a heart attack when I noticed I forgot my suit. All I had on was shorts and a T-shirt. Not the best cloths to where when you are singing in a wedding. Thinking I was dead.. I found out I wasn't late - actually a half hour early and that I was going to be singing from a balcony - no one would see me singing... Out of all the many weddings I've sung at - less than five have been from a balcony.. how lucky can you get?
Some Scary Moments...
* On tour to Louisville, KY. A car drove right down our side of the divided highway with its lights off. We just missed hitting it- we had to pull off the road - the car was running from the law..
* On a late night return from Lansing, MI. an oncoming car was driving to fast, slid off the road and across the median just missing us. I could see flames from the bottom of the car as it flew across my windshield into the ditch, flinging a passenger out the window. It chewed that guys right elbow off - no one was seriously hurt though...
* Traveling to Chicago during a blizzard we almost jackknifed our equipment trailer several times on icy roads...
* On my first musical missionary trip to the USSR in 1989, I had to play the first concert in an outdoor park where many Soviet soldiers were... very scary... we had KGB officials watching our every move the whole trip... It was also scary because we were bringing in Bibles and other Christian literature... Illegal in a communist country...
* I was nervous when I had to do a concert with a right finger that had a severe contusion. I didn't know if I'd even be able to play the guitar at all until I went on - I believe adrenaline took over...
* In High school I had a variety show that featured me and my guitar - a whole show to myself!!! The problem is, that week I sang so much that by Friday night's concert I had lost the upper range of my voice. So, after a day of gargling salt water and lowering the keys to all the songs - I was able to pull it off with flying colors...
* I've had a little stage freight when I performed for 15,000 at Willow Creek Church and another 6,000 in a Tallinn, Estonia stadium... also a few times for jail inmates and rowdy drunken crowds in Russia...
Touching moments...
* I sang to my wife in our wedding, a song I wrote for her...
* I remember singing with my guitar several different times the day before a big move - always on the back porch and facing the west...
* The first time I sang my song "Footprints In The Sand"...
* Countless services, concerts and special programs where God has been at the center... He is a God that moves hearts... I am so thankful he has blessed me as His vessel...
* One time I sang Phil Keaggy's song on abortion called "Little Ones". I couldn't make it through. Also performing the song "We Are The People" with my friend vocalist Pam Wyman in a worship service...
* Performing with my uncle Jim, who inspired me to play guitar and go into music ministry...
* Singing worship songs at countless campfires with friends and family...
* Playing guitar with my uncles and cousins at all the family get togethers over the years...
* All those long hours of playing guitar in my room alone and for my brother Charlie and our friend Terry Raver...
* Recording the song "A Family For All Time" on my latest CD. A song about the death of my 6-year-old daughter, Jessica. It took me several years to even be able to sing it...
* Listening to the music for our farewell party from our church in Michigan and to the music at our daughter, Jessica's funeral...
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.yanceyguitar.com
Track List:
1. Chasing the Wind
2. Fields of My Youth
3. Now that I've had Your Love
4. Where's Our Faith
5. Fill this House
6. In His Time
7. Tag (Instrumental)
8. Little by Little
9. Footprints in the Sand
10. Reach for Your Child
11. Our Love is Forever
12. Member
13. A Family for all Time
Suggested CDs:Other Genres: