The South African Rock Encyclopedia > Rock Legends > 1970s / 1980s / 1990s / 2000s > Larry Amos
Legend of South African Blues & Rock
6 April 1952 to 19 July 2024
Biography
From SA Rock Digest, Issue 225, 10 November 2003
Widely regarded by his peers as the ‘best blues guitarist in the country’, Larry Amos is not only that…
Born in Gauteng on the 6th of April, 1952, from a very young age he aspired to being a musician, and started playing guitar at the age of 9. Performing at family parties and school functions, his sweet voice was known to make the women cry! At 15 years he formed a band that went on to win 3rd prize at a Battle of the Bands held at the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg.
After school Larry went to Cape Town to pursue his love for music by working during the day and performing as a guest artist at various nightclubs at night. After 2 years in Cape Town, Larry came back to Johannesburg and teamed up with his brother Robbi Robb and Govinda Davidopoulis as a trio doing parties, functions and guest spots around town.
He began his professional career after signing with an agency as a solo artist with his first gig in the Persian Room at the Four Seasons Hotel in Durban. Touring the country from there, included a stint as backing vocals and understudy to Riff Raff in the Rocky Horror production in Lesotho (it was banned at the time in SA). He also performed on the TV show, “Beat 79” doing one of his own compositions, “Mother Nature”.
Baxtop was formed in Johannesburg in 1976 with Larry Amos on guitar and vocals, Tim Parr (guitar, vocals), Fuzzy Marcus (guitar, vocals) and Bruce Williams (drums, vocals) and was billed as ‘the best blues-rock-boogie band that never came out of the American South.’
“Work It Out” is rated as one of the Top Ten Albums of South Africa according to Garth Chilvers.
“Baxtop” became South Africa’s top original blues-rock band, signed a recording contract with WEA records, and had a number one hit with “Jo Bangles” and also won a Sarie Award. The band also toured with Millie Jackson on her South African visit. In 1982 Baxtop disbanded, and Larry formed the Larry Amos Blues Band…
The Blues Band was followed by the “Naughty Boys” who released one of the last 7 singles to be pressed in South Africa. Larry composes his own music and currently has over 60 titles registered with SAMRO. In 1994 the R.A.W. CD was released, this was a co-operative effort with Bruce Williams (previously the drummer for Baxtop), and enjoyed moderate success with one of the numbers, “Dance of Love” being chosen to appear on ‘Monster Hits’.
In 1991 Larry went to Ireland and joined Tim (Parr) performing at the Galway Busking Festival, and various venues including as an opening act for two concerts of Don Baker (Bono of U2’s favourite harp player), where the audiences went wild for his original numbers and exciting guitar playing. Later, in 1995 Larry and Tim supported “Crosby, Stills and Nash” at the Standard Bank Arena and were complimented by them for his outstanding song, “Let the Sun” and performance. “Let the Sun” is featured on his CD “GOING UP” which is on sale at gigs around the country as a compilation of various aspects of his work. He has also recently released a demo CD “Un” which comprises mainly of ballads and shows another aspect of this talented artist.
In 1998 Larry did the vocals on Willem Fourie’s CD released by Makhulu, “Wondering”. He has also done guitar parts on Frank Lepo’s (Sankamoto) solo album, as well as Sinyaka’s “Why isonda ma gents”. He has jammed locally with the likes of Johnny Fourie, Alistair Cokley, Mike Faure, George Worthmore, Jethro Butho, Julian Laxton, Mike Slavin and numerous others, including a surprise session with Shaun Phillips at Tandoor, Rockey Street!
Larry has done gigs at various venues, including:
Gauteng
- Frascas, Honeydew
- Blues Room, Sandton
- Bohemian, Millpark
- Killarney Mall, Killarney
- Blue Naartjie, Orange Grove
- Origin, Orange Grove
- Radium Beer Hall, Orange Grove
- Carry’s, Northriding
- Big Easy
- Banbury Cross, Northgate
- Caesars Palace, Jhb International
- Bass Line, Melville
- Julian’s, Cresta
- The Showcase, Northgate
- Rags
- Opiyard, Pretoria
Cape Town
- Zeplins
- Log Cabin
- Barley Corn
- Brass Bell
KwaZulu-Natal
- Cliffy’s, Pietermaritzburg
- Splashy Fen 2001, Underberg
- Catfish & Caterpillar
- Bingelela
- Tusk Inn, Durban
- Churchills
- The Stagecoach, Pietermaritzburg
Other Provinces
- Tempo’s
- Unplugged Kitchen, Broederstroom (North West)
- Page 3 Studio Theatre, Magaliesberg (North West)
- Rustlers Valley, Free State
At the end of June 2001, he launched a SAB sponsored event “Blues in the Berg” at the Caterpillar and Catfish, which was followed by a 3 week working holiday jamming with Russell Taylor at Bingelela just outside Bergville. The South African Music Week took place between 24 – 28 August and he was invited to feature at various events in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
Larry was also involved in the vocals and guitar for the soundtrack of a SABC TV programme first flighted on 23 October 2001, done in conjunction with Louis van Rensburg. He has also done various radio spots including the recent “R2.50 blues” number for the new Wednesday Lotto draw.
The latest development in this perennial performer’s life, is the opening and running of a pub and music venue on the KZN South Coast. Located on the beach front of Port Shepstone, the “King Prawn” has a fantastic sea view, spacious interior, good vibe and promises to become the ideal meeting place for all music lovers – come along and see! It has already hosted some of the finest KZN musicians and the mission is to provide great entertainment as well as offer bands of all genres a venue to expose their talents to a different audience.
March 2002 saw Larry team up with some of South Africa’s greatest blues musicians at the True Blue Blues Festival that took place at the Oude Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch, Cape. This was a show that featured ‘Saffire – the Uppity Blues Women’ from the USA as well as showcasing local talent such as the Blues Broers, Delta Blue, Willem Fourie and other notable musicians. Larry also performed at two Cape Town venues on this trip, namely ‘206’ and ‘The Armchair Theatre’ where he played to a crowd of long-time friends, musicians and fans together with Tim Parr, Mally Aberdeine and Paul Tizzard.
In March 2002, Larry was joined on stage once again by long time friends and musos, Bruce Williams and Fuzzy Marcus (all ex Baxtop), at the Southern Cross Festival near Mooiriver. And what an awesome show that was – anyone who was there was moved by the talent and tightness of the guys – and they had only rehearsed at the King Prawn for a few hours the night before! Larry delighted the crowds by playing with his teeth while maintaining the melody – not a sight often seen!
In April Larry performed at The Winston in Durban for the Blues Train – a weekly gathering of some of Durban’s more dedicated and interesting musical appreciators and performers. Larry also entertained friends and travellers in the Central Drakensberg at Thokosiza and then appeared at the Splashy Fen Festival near Underberg in the Southern Drakensberg.
Despite Larry Amos’ current working commitments, he still finds the time to perform wherever possible, exhibiting the extraordinary guitar talents that have consistently kept him at the top of the SA blues guitar heap!
However, what struck me about him were his awesome abilities and that phenomenal guitar work of his and the way he made that instrument work. Everything was so fluid and slick. He did things that I had never seen and heard of before. Cigarette stuck in the strings up in the neck, near the keys of his guitar, standing in the light of a solitary flood light and he would let it crank – slowly and uncertainly at first and then, as he got into his stride …. things just happened. This wasn’t a Jimi Hendrix extravaganza (as seen on film). It was just one man and his guitar and he just went places with it where I have never been or heard of before.
Rogan Coles – Music journalist, SA Rock Digest, Issue #224, 3 November 2003
Discography
- Work It Out – Baxtop [1979]
- Going Up – Larry Amos [2001] compilation
