Larry Norman
Feb 28, 2008
Author: Rob

I never met Larry Norman. I was supposed to play a gig with him last year but he had health problems and had to pull out. Now, it'll never happen as Larry died on Sunday 24th Feb of heart failure. He was 60 years old.
Larry Norman was a guy who messed up, got broken by the mistakes he made but carried on loving God and exploring His love. I think that's what inspires me about him. I don't think he ever fitted in to the Christian industry because he wasn't the squeaky clean kind of guy they wanted. In 1980 he got married to his 2nd wife, his best friend Randy Stonehills ex wife, severely damaging there relationship. I gigged with Randy a couple of years ago and we talked about how he and Larry had reconciled after 20 years and played together at the Cornerstone fest in 2001.
I guess Larry reminds me of David, the musician-king in the Old testament who loved God, messed up, but carried on loving God. It's a human thing to fall, it's the getting through the brokenness of the fall and getting on with the race that's the hard thing. God is a loving father who disciplines and forgives his kids. Like I said, I never met Larry but I identify with him - I guess that's why he inspired me.
I first heard his music on the Rock Gospel show in the early 80's. Cliff Richard was covering 'Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music' but it wasn't until I got my hands on a live cassette in 1989 that I heard the Larry sing it himself the way it needed to be sung. But the songs that really got to me were 'The Outlaw', 'The Great American Novel' and 'UFO'. Only Visiting this Planet has got to be one of the finest albums by a Christian ever.
We don't have pioneers in music like that now. We need them. The opportunity's there for the taking. Lets do it.