Larry Garner
A Baton Rouge bluesman who traded a factory job for a global stage, becoming a respected elder statesman of the modern Louisiana sound.
Born 1952 (age 74)·American songwriter·Birthday: July 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Larry Garner didn't follow the typical bluesman's path of childhood prodigy and early struggle. He served in the military, worked for years at a chemical plant, and played music locally, honing a deeply personal songwriting style that blended traditional blues themes with contemporary, often witty, observations on everyday life. His breakthrough came relatively late, after winning a local blues competition, which led to European tours and a recording contract. Albums like 'Too Blues' and 'Double Dues' established him as a storyteller's storyteller, his rich baritone and fluid guitar playing earning respect from purists and new audiences alike. Based in Baton Rouge, he became a crucial link in the chain of Louisiana blues, mentoring younger players and proving the genre's vitality was in its ability to evolve without losing its soul.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Larry was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Larry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Larry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His 1994 album 'Too Blues' received widespread critical acclaim in blues circles internationally.
- Won the Long Beach Blues Festival's 'Battle of the Blues Bands' in 1990, launching his professional career.
- Served as the president of the Baton Rouge Blues Society, advocating for local musicians.
- Has maintained a consistent international touring schedule, particularly in Europe, for decades.
Did You Know?
He served in the U.S. Army for three years before pursuing music full-time.
He worked at the Dow Chemical plant in Plaquemine, Louisiana, for nearly two decades while playing music on the side.
He is known for his use of a Gibson ES-335 guitar.
Many of his songs draw directly from his experiences and people he knew in Baton Rouge.
“I write songs about things I see, things that happen to me and people around me.”
