Larry Wimmer

Among the many notable artists Larry has shared the stage with are Cheap TrickSurvivor, Citizen, Buddy Guy, Lonnie Brooks,The Fabulous T-birds,The DatesEddie Money, KoKo Taylor,The Life and The Rhythm Dogs.He's currentlygigs with his own original music band as lead vocalist and guitarist. ===================================================================== Who I am and what my music is today,is a long way from where I started........ I guess ...

Among the many notable artists Larry has shared the stage with are Cheap TrickSurvivor, Citizen, Buddy Guy, Lonnie Brooks,The Fabulous T-birds,The DatesEddie Money, KoKo Taylor,The Life and The Rhythm Dogs.He's currentlygigs with his own original music band as lead vocalist and guitarist. ===================================================================== Who I am and what my music is today,is a long way from where I started........ I guess my musical influences go way back to my childhood. My mother and father came from very musical families and they were very musical themselves.My parents met while working a Summer Job at Little Bohemia-A resort located in middle of Wisconsin.By day,my dad was a groundskeeper and my mom was a cabin maid. Many nights,they entertained together in the lounge as singers.Mom would play piano and my dad would occasionally accompany her on guitar.They eventually married and migrated south into Illinois to find work and raise a family. Occasionally,family and friends would get together at the Wimmer house to "jam". Uncle Wally would play a little banjo or clarinet,Uncle Ted would play boogie-woogie piano and everyone else would jump in! I was told they kicked butt. Frankly,I was too little to remember. I was the last of seven children.My parents divorced when I was 8 years old. Life was tough for a single mother with 5 kids to raise. Occasionally,my mother would rent out a room to supplement her income. Sometimes it would be a recruit from Great Lakes Navy base.Other times,it would be a friend of the family. Once,she rented a room to a guy who played a Hammond organ. I remember him playing a lot of blues and jazz records. It's where I heard a Jimmy Smith record for the first time.My older brothers and some of their friends were listening to the music of the 50's and 60's,as well as the Isley Brothers,Little Richard and many of the blues legends like Muddy Waters,Little Willie John and Robert Johnson. I was pretty much raised on the Beatles and the Stones and a lot of the "oldies" too, but I was really getting into early soul music artists like Wilson Pickett,Otis Redding,Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke.Whenever there were bands playing at the county fairs or local parks or the lakefront,I would always find a way to the shows.I was always asking the drummers if I could play their kit. Sometimes I got lucky. Usually,as they were about to tear down. I was HOOKED!  I didn't know when or how,but I knew I wanted to play music and be in a band !  My brother Benny and I used to sing duets together and we really liked singing stuff by Sam and Dave,The Righteous Brothers and The Everly Brothers. We would stand on dressers,pretending it was our stage. We would use hairbrushes or perfume bottles as microphones. All of the Wimmer boys could sing.Some of us played guitar and a few of us even dabbled with the drums. I always dreamed of a "Wimmer Brothers Band"  It would have been fun,but my brothers weren't as interested in having a music career as I was. Still,it takes me back and makes me smile,just thinkin' about it ... I started out as most do. Playing in teen-age garage bands,local battles of the bands and eventually working my way into the regional club circuits. As I began to write or collaborate with others in original bands,I sought serious management and wanted to have a successful music career. Even though I didn't reach the mountaintop,I made it to the foothills. I still write,record and play festivals,fairs and the occasional concerts. Truthfully,I've never been happier. I love what I do !  I'm not world-famous these days,but i'm OK with that because I know that there is more than one definition of success in this world. I've played in many cities,all over the country and shared the stage with a handful of the "greats".It's been a wonderful ride. Blessed ? No doubt,but my greatest prizes are,and always be,my family and friends. I really love the New Orleans funk sound of artists like Allen Toussaint,Jon Cleary,The Neville Bros.and John Lee Sanders. I'm a big,big fan of Bonnie Raitt,Delbert McClinton,Paul Carrack and John Hiatt too. I also have a soft spot for Eric Clapton and Robert Cray.Strong influences on me,for sure. Truth is, I never stop being influenced.When it comes right down to it,we are all original because we are a collection of everything that we hear or touches us. I hope my music touches you.I welcome your comments,so please drop me a line in the Contact Us section. Thanks for stoppin' by !    "Peaceness"...Larry Wimmer