Larry Davis: Biography

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• Stevie Ray Vaughan
• Junior Parker
• Ike Turner
• Little Johnny Taylor

• Fenton Robinson
• B.B. King
• Albert King
• Little Willie John

• Fenton Robinson

• Oliver Sain
• Ron Levy

• The Kodaks
• Instant Funk

• Raymond Earl
• Dennis Richardson
• Bunny Sigler
• Kim Miller
• Jimmy Sigler

Born:

Dec 4, 1936 in Kansas City, MO

Died:

Apr 19, 1994 in Los Angeles, CA

Genres:

Blues Music, Texas Blues Music, Electric Blues Music

Decades Active:

1950's|1960's|1970's|1980's|1990's

Artistic Quality

Medium

Cultural Impact

Medium

Ratings Guide

Anyone who associates "Texas Flood" only with Stevie Ray Vaughan has never auditioned Larry Davis' version. Davis debuted on vinyl in 1958 with the song, his superlative Duke Records original remaining definitive to this day despite Vaughan's impassioned revival many years down the road.

Davis grew up in Little Rock, AR, giving up the drums to play bass. Forging an intermittent partnership with guitarist Fenton Robinson during the mid'50s, the pair signed with Don Robey's Duke label on the recommendation of Bobby Bland. Three Davis 45s resulted, including "Texas Flood" and "Angels in Houston," before Robey cut Davis loose. From there, Davis was forced to make the most of limited opportunities in the studio. He lived in St. Louis for a spell and took up the guitar under Albert King's tutelage while playing bass in King's band.

A handful of singles for Virgo and Kent and a serious 1972 motorcycle accident that temporarily paralyzed Davis' left side preceded an impressive 1982 album for Rooster Blues, Funny Stuff, produced by Gateway City mainstay Oliver Sain. But followup options remained hard to come by: few blues fans could find a copy of the guitarist's 1987 Pulsar LP I Ain't Beggin' Nobody.

Finally, in 1992, Ron Levy's Bulleye Blues logo issued a firstclass Davis set, Sooner or Later, that skillfully showcased his rich, booming vocals and concise, Albert Kinginfluenced guitar. Unfortunately, it came later rather than sooner: Davis died of cancer in the spring of 1994.

- Bill Dahl, All Music Guide