Chuck Webb Bio

Larry R. Nelson was born on a farm in Sylvan Grove, Kansas, October 29, 1934. While in the fourth grade, Larry started to learn the clarinet, but in his freshman year he took up the saxophone. And he began to play with various musical groups until his graduation.
Larry attended and graduated from Kansas State University in 1956 with a B.S. in Music Education. While in college he continued to play in large bands. And, in 1954, he married his high school sweetheart, LaDonna.
Entering the Army and graduating from the Officer Basic Course at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, he was assigned overseas in Germany. While there, he played music in in a band made up of both Americans and Germans.
Returning to the States, and being Honorably discharged, Larry became a music teacher for eleven years, mostly in his home town. But upon his father's retirement, Larry took over the family's farming/cattle business, but continued to play music. In 1993, he leased the farm to his son and son-in-law, and he became a part-time farmer.
Larry has played with or ran thirty-two different bands during his musical career, playing everything from Pop, Western Swing, Bluegrass, and Gospel. Some of the musical stars that Larry has played behind are Stonewall Jackson and Hank Thompson. But those he gives credit to for much of his musical ability and style are Murray Farr (trumpet) of the Navy School of Music, Byron Westerman (trumpet) with the Glenn Miller Orchestra of the Bobby Vinton Show, and colleagues Dale Norris, Ralph Marterie, Les Elgart, and Stan Kenton.
Larry's most memorable group was the Hooters (preceding the other Hooters). It was a four-piece band consisting of Larry on Keyboard, Guitar and Sax; Doug Nelson (Larry's son) on Bass, Trumpet and Guitar; Kirk Gallion on Keyboard and Bass; and J. D. Gallion on Drums. They also sang four-part harmony together.

And Larry also continues to occasionally play in a seventeen-piece orchestra.

Western Swing has not been prevalent in Northern Kansas, but Larry has been a member of the Western Swing Society of the Southwest for over ten years, and loves playing there at its get-togethers. He is also an inductee of the Northwest Western Swing Society.