Larry Larson Music Store

Larry Larson was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. He started playing accordion at the age of ten, and has continued to study and play accordion his entire life.

Larry opened the music store three years after arriving in California in 1953. It started as a music studio, where people would come take lessons from him. Over the years it grew into what it is today.

Through all the years that he has kept the store going, Larry has also maintained a musical career as a performer. With the electric accordion as his instrument of choice, he has performed at every kind of function and venue imaginable. He's played every major hotel from San Francisco to San Diego. When the Princess Cruises first set sail, Larry was booked as part of the entertainment on cruises to Acapulco, Alaska, Hawaii, and all sorts of wonderful places.

 Larry has also been a presence in the Hollywood studios where he played on films and television shows for Lucille Ball, Robert Montgomery, Goldie Hawn, Angie Dickenson, Ted Danson, and numerous others. He even had a feature roll on "Marcus Welby, M.D.," playing Larry, the singing intern.

VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER

Huell Howser did a PBS television episode of "California's Gold" on Larry and the store back in 2002 which they still air as on encore performance from time to time. Huell described the store as "a classic place in Glendale, a throwback from another time." Many customers have come in for the first time after viewing the show. Copies of the video can be purchased through Huell's website.

 Here are some photos taken from the show:

Huell talking to Larry about his music.

 The "Three Grumpy Old Men" performing for Huell in one of the rooms above the store. 

(Spider Webb on drums and Bill Maloof on guitar)

An early photo of Larry with one of his quartets.

 Larry playing accordion at a young age.

NAMM AWARD

Larry received a Milestone Award in 2006 from the National Association of Music Merchants for over 50 years of excellent service in the music industry!

 Click here to see part of the interview that took place the morning of the award ceremony.