Larry Norman, 60, was Christian rock pioneer
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By Deborah Evans Price
NASHVILLE (Billboard) - One of Christian rock music’s most
influential and controversial figures, Larry Norman died
February 24 of heart failure at his home in Salem, Ore. He was
60.
Inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001, Norman
is often referred to as “the father of Christian rock music.”
He is known for such groundbreaking anthems as “Why Should the
Devil Have All the Good Music” and “I Wish We’d All Been
Ready.”
“Larry was an interesting person in every sense of the
word,” Gospel Music Assn. president/CEO John Styll says. “He
was one of the first to record what later became known as
contemporary Christian music, but what he did in the early ’70s
was far edgier than most of what comes from that genre now. I
found Larry to be likable and personable, although
unpredictable. I always suspected that he wrote much of his own
publicity and spun it so as to further his own mystique, and he
did have a way of rewriting history. But he earned his place,
and history will always show that he was an original — an
iconoclast.”
CHILD PERFORMER
Born April 8, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Norman began
writing and performing at age 9. He later moved to San Jose,
California, where he became part of the local music scene,
opening for the Doors and Jimi Hendrix.
Norman began recording in the mid-’60s and first garnered
attention with 1968 release “I Love You,” which he recorded
while lead singer for the group People! The title track was a
cover of the Zombies tune, which reached No. 7 on Billboard’s
pop singles chart.
Norman left the group as soon as its album was released and
embarked on a colorful solo career. Capitol Records issued his
first solo album, “Upon This Rock,” in 1969, widely considered
the first Christian rock album. In 1972, with help from Beatles
producer George Martin, he recorded the landmark “Only Visiting
This Planet” for MGM Records. The following year, he released
“So Long Ago the Garden,” also on MGM, before opting to pursue
the indie label route the remainder of his career, launching
his own Solid Rock Records.
Norman pushed the boundaries by creating rock music that
incorporated his faith and targeted nonbelievers. He was never
one to preach to the choir, and his brazen passion sometimes
irked religious conservatives. But no amount of criticism could
deter him. With his long hair, faded jeans and outspoken
political and social views, he was the original Christian rock
rebel. Continued…
