Larry Murray, a former Pierce Countian who was a major influence on folk, country and pop music from the 1960s-1980s, died Friday, May 16, in Van Nuys, CA. He was 88 and had been battling lung cancer.
Murray was born in Waycross, but was raised by his grandmother and later an aunt. He moved to Blackshear where he lived in the Marion Hotel on Central Avenue and graduated from Blackshear High School in 1955.
Murray joined the Navy and was stationed in San Diego. There he cofounded the landmark Blue Guitar store and in 1962 formed the bluegrass band the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. Murray eventually moved to Los Angeles and became a fixture at the Troubadour nightclub, where he associated with stars including Linda Ronstadt, Gram Parsons and Jackson Browne.
Murray later was part of a country-rock band called Hearts and Flowers and cut two influential records for Capitol Records in 1967 and 1968.
Murray became a music coordinator and writer for network TV programs including “The Roger Miller Show” and “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.” He also worked as a joke writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” and “Hee Haw.” He moved to Nashville in 1969 to work for “The Johnny Cash Show”.
Murray produced and wrote music recorded by Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Johnny Cash, the Flying Burrito Brothers, David Allan Coe, Ricky Nelson, Percy Sledge, Olivia Newton-John, the Dillards, the Walker Brothers, Marty Stuart, John Denver, Roger McGuinn and Tom Petty.
Artist Tommy Cash took Murray’s song “Six White Horses” to number four on the country singles chart in 1971.
Murray is featured in the Hall of Fame Museum’s current major exhibit “Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock.”
A memorial service for Murray was held July 27 in Sherman Oaks, CA.
