Larry Sparks has said that he's the youngest old-timer around, and the self-description is an apt one. Emerging from the Stanley Brothers' Clinch Mountain Boys band, Sparks carried on with the sounds created by bluegrass music's first generation. His style was no knockoff, however; it had a distinctively bluesy tinge anchored by Sparks' own guitar, a comparatively unusual lead instrument in bluegrass. He also developed a reputation as one of the most soulful vocalists in the genre. Once he left the Clinch Mountain Boys in 1970, Sparks developed a loyal following who stayed with him through the decades, leading to his 2015 induction into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. He continued performing after his induction, releasing such records as Ministry in Song in 2021 and It's Just Me in 2023.
Hometown
Lebanon, OH, United States
Genre
Bluegrass
Larry Sparks: Member of
Larry Sparks is also a member of, or has been a member of the following groups