Biography

Larry Burnett is one of the fortunate few who has the ability to look at the world around him and reflect it back to others in song.

Born in Washington DC, he spent much of his youth succumbing to the sounds of John Fahey and other acoustic artists in his older brother's record collection, as well as being completely drawn to the sounds of early high-mountain bluegrass artists emanating from his transistor radio during summers spent with his grandparents on their farm in Boone, NC.

He bought his first guitar, a Sears Silvertone acoustic for $5 when he was 8 years old and quickly set about the business of figuring out how to play it.

A slightly misspent adolescence exploring the underbelly activities of some of the more unsavory neighborhoods of our Nation's Capitol led to a free trip westward to live with his father.

As a 15 year-old, he sat in his room in Ventura, California and matched stirring words with compelling music as he wrote his first song, "Cinderella". His trademark has always been the ability to describe and comment on the complexities of relationships, whether between a man and woman, father and son or an individual and themselves. As a teenager, Larry Burnett took those first steps down a road that would find him standing in front of, literally, millions of people screaming as they heard the opening riffs to his songwriting.

At 23 years old, with many songs in his arsenal, he joined a group of fellow musicians and formed Firefall. The band quickly became known for their sweet and light love songs that fit the image held by promoters and music program directors during the early 70’s and 80’s.

But there was another side to the band. Fans of an edgier, more gripping, rocking sound were blown away by the raw power of songs such as “No Way Out” and “Sharpshootin’ at the Senator”.

Six multi-platinum albums later, the tension between the light and sweet pop side of Firefall and the more complex landscape of Larry’s songs most certainly played some small part in the demise of the group.

The next stage in this troubadour’s life was a period of reflection and personal growth. Examining his relationship with drugs and alcohol, then committing himself to a life free of the diminishing influence of these substances, Larry continued to explore the depths of his musical soul, and the sometimes painful, sometimes silly world around him. He continued to refine and sharpen his songwriting skills as he authored more than a hundred songs.

From the beginning, Larry Burnett’s music has been heavily influenced by his southern roots. The melodic blend of strings and steel paved the way for the development of a genre that continues to expand today.

The legacy of this cross-pollination can be heard on both rock and country radio stations. This blending of styles caught the ear of such notables as Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt, Bob Seger, and Vince Gill along the way and led them to claim a similar signature. The accessible, relevant sound of his music claims a wide and varied group of fans.

From the bluesy resonance of “No Money” to the softer, melodic ballad “3am in Nashville”, both from his recent solo CD "Guitars & Vocals", Larry Burnett has always had something significant to say and a compelling way to say it.

A psychic of some acclaim did a reading on the Firefall band members some years back. Everyone had some interesting past human life here on earth that allegedly explained their present (at that time) circumstances. When she got to Larry, It was quite different...

Larry Burnett previously existed on another planet as a tall gray weed rooted in a very exclusive spiritual patch of ground. Be forewarned.