Larry Campbell (musician)
Larry Campbell is an American multi-instrumentalist, who plays many stringed instruments in genres including country, folk, blues, and rock. He is perhaps most widely known for his time as part of Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour band from 1997 to 2004.
Campbell also has extensive experience as a studio musician. Over the past years, Larry has recorded with such artists as Levon Helm, Judy Collins, Lucy Kaplansky, Richard Shindell, Linda Thompson, Sheryl Crow, Chris Castle, Paul Simon, B. B. King, Willie Nelson, Eric Andersen, Buddy and Julie Miller, Kinky Friedman, Little Feat, Hot Tuna, Cyndi Lauper, k.d. lang, Anastasia Barzee, Rosanne Cash and Ayọ, among others.
Biography
During the 1970s and 1980s, Campbell performed regularly on New York City's burgeoning country music scene, at well-known venues such as Greenwich Village's legendary Lone Star Cafe, City Limits, The Rodeo Bar, and O'Lunney's, near the United Nations. He contributed his talents to several musicals.Beginning in the late 1970s, Campbell was also a member of The Woodstock Mountains Revue, a unique folk group that featured Artie & Happy Traum, Pat Alger, Jim Rooney, Bill Keith, John Herald, Eric Andersen and John Sebastian.
In 1982, Campbell performed in the orchestra for Alaska – The Musical, playing fiddle, acoustic and electric guitar, pedal steel and banjo. Campbell also performed in the orchestra for Big River in 1985, and Rhythm Ranch in 1989. In addition, he played pedal steel guitar, banjo, fiddle and guitar for the entire run of The Will Rogers Follies, which opened on Broadway in New York City on May 1, 1991.
Campbell was a member of Bob Dylan's "Never Ending Tour" band from March 31, 1997 until November 21, 2004. Through his association with Dylan's bass player Tony Garnier, Larry joined the band, replacing John Jackson as a guitarist, and expanded the role to multi-instrumentalist, playing instruments such as cittern, violin/fiddle, pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, and slide guitar.
Since Campbell's departure from Dylan's band, he has continued to make guest appearances with various artists and live acts including Peter Wolf, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Furthur, and Phil and Friends. He has also produced albums for many artists, including most recently Jorma Kaukonen.
Campbell toured regularly with Levon Helm, in addition to producing Helm's two Grammy-winning albums, Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt, and acting as the musical director for Helm's Midnight Ramble concerts.
Campbell played banjo, fiddle, and pedal steel on The Black Crowes 2009 album Before the Frost...Until the Freeze. He also appears on the Outlaw Country band Whitey Morgan and the 78's recorded at Levon Helm's studio in December 2009 and January 2010, and Last Bird Home by Chris Castle, also recorded at Levon's studio in 2011.
Campbell played guitar, pedal steel, banjo, slide, mandolin, and fiddle on Dan Brenner's 2011 album Little Dark Angel produced by 10-time Grammy winner Jay Newland.
Campbell and his wife, Teresa, released a self-titled album on June 23, 2015 on Red House Records.
In 2019, Campbell and his wife filled in for Little Feat guitarist Paul Barrere during the band's 50th Anniversary Tour. The duo played with the band for most of the tour, from October 7–24, with Scott Sharrard taking over for the tour's last two dates on October 26 and 27, 2019. The duo's stint with Little Feat came shortly before Barrere's death on October 26, 2019.
Personal life
Campbell is married to singer Teresa Williams. For several years, Campbell was musical director and bandleader for the Levon Helm Band during their Midnight Ramble concerts. On September 18, 2008, at the 7th Annual Americana Music Association Honors and Awards Show, Campbell was presented with The Award for Lifetime Achievement for an Instrumentalist.On March 24, 2020, Campbell's wife, Teresa Williams, announced that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequent reports indicate he recovered from the illness.
Discography
Larry Campbell has contributed to many albums by various musical artists. This is a partial list.- We Won't Dance - The Greg Trooper Band - 1986
- Picture Perfect Morning – Edie Brickell – 1994
- Cover Girl – Shawn Colvin – 1994
- Cry Cry Cry – Cry Cry Cry – 1998
- Love and Theft – Bob Dylan – 2001
- 23rd St. Lullaby – Patti Scialfa – 2004
- Rooftops – Larry Campbell – 2005
- Live at the Warfield – Phil Lesh and Friends – 2006
- Dirt Farmer – Levon Helm – 2007
- River of Time – Jorma Kaukonen – 2009
- Electric Dirt – Levon Helm – 2009
- Before the Frost...Until the Freeze – The Black Crowes – 2009
- You Can Always Turn Around – Lucky Peterson – 2010
- Wood and Stone – Tara Nevins – 2010
- Whitey Morgan and the 78's – Whitey Morgan and the 78's – 2010
- Steady as She Goes – Hot Tuna - 2011
- Love for Levon: A Benefit to Save the Barn – various artists – 2013
- Only Slightly Mad – David Bromberg Band – 2013
- Ain't In No Hurry – Jorma Kaukonen - 2015
- Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams – Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams – 2015
- The Blues, the Whole Blues, and Nothing But the Blues – David Bromberg Band – 2016