In art as in life, there are men, and there are kings. When it comes to writing hit songs, legendary tunesmith Larry Weiss, is king.
An artist and composer of extraordinary depth and virtue, (Rhinestone Cowboy, Bend Me Shape Me, Lay Me Down Roll Me Out To Sea, Jeff Beck's Hi Ho Silver Lining, Spooky Tooth's Evil Woman, Jerry Butler's Mr. Dream Merchant, plus 100’s of other recorded compositions to his credit), Weiss was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. “There was an ongoing variety of music being played in our house, anything from Beethoven to Thelonius Monk mixed with show tunes and great standards. When I was nine or ten, my father gave me a guitar,” notes Weiss, adding, “I learned to play two chords, and knew right then and there, music was the road I wanted to be on.” Little did he realize, though, that road would lead to amazing fame, and would begin right across the river in New York City.
“My first job writing songs was for a publisher in the 1650 Broadway building”, Weiss continues. “I began to learn the craft of songwriting from some of the great black writers." Artists like Dionne Warwick, Nat King Cole and a bevy of R & B acts like Chuck Jackson, Baby Washington, and the Shirelles, began to take notice and record his songs.
A prolific artist in his own right, Weiss’s own songs can explore the emotional state of loss, while still allowing listeners to embrace their pain, in an honest, hopeful and uplifting way. On the opening track “I Am Somebody”, off of his current CD release entitled “Cuts and Scratches”, he observes: ”It’s hard to be yourself..the world is so demanding.. hard to free yourself and reach an understanding of what life’s all about..what to live with…what you can’t live without.”
In his ‘Black And Blue Suite’ LP that some say contained the blueprint, the original version of what would become his iconic “Rhinestone Cowboy”, he sings…“there’s been a load of comprimisin’ on the road to my horizon..while in the last verse…’there’ll be a load of compromisin’…wisdom is waiting inside of us if we only take the time to stop and listen.” “I’m very grateful to be where I am now and writing about life as I see it,” he admits, wistfully.
The father of two beautiful daughters, and a musical son, Weiss’s journey continues. Whether it’s writing another cultural meg-a-hit tune, or scripting his next Hollywood movie, Larry Weiss’s Jersey Dream of the big time, years ago lead him to Nashville, TN. But, with his sights also set on Broadway, books, hotel and restaurant projects, and producing other artists, he remains a visionary. “It wasn’t always easy for me, I’ve had some tough and challenging times, spent more than a few years learning about myself”, Weiss confesses.
In art as in life, there are men, and there are kings. When it comes to writing great songs about life, legendary tunesmith Larry Weiss, is king.
For more information or to contact Mr. Weiss email him at: larry@larryweiss.com.
© Copyright 2006-2009 Larry Weiss / www.rhinestonecowboy.com. | All Rights Reserved.
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