Larry McCray

Larry McCray

Larry McCray is an American blues guitarist associated with blues rock and contemporary blues. He is known for blending traditional blues with rock and soul elements, and for extending the style of earlier electric blues guitarists into a modern setting.

Early life and influences

McCray follows his sister Clara to Saginaw, Michigan, in 1972. Clara tours regionally in Arkansas with her own group, the Rockets, and introduces him to the playing of B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King, Albert Collins, and Magic Sam. He also develops a heavier approach through the influence of Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers. He begins playing the local circuit with his brothers Carl on bass and Steve on drums.

Career

After finishing high school, McCray works on a General Motors assembly line while continuing to develop as a musician. He records his debut album, Ambition, in a friend’s basement studio in Detroit and releases it on Pointblank in 1991. The album presents a mix of blues, rock, and soul. He then tours with Albert Collins, who is also a label mate.

McCray releases Delta Hurricane on Pointblank in 1993. The album is produced by Mike Vernon. He follows it with Climbin' Up in 1995 and Meet Me At the Lake in 1996. Born to Play the Blues appears in 1998, and Believe It follows in 2001.

Style and significance

McCray’s work is described as a combination of blues tradition and a more forceful rock-influenced guitar approach. His early albums, especially Ambition and Delta Hurricane, are presented as examples of that blend, with one shaped by a homemade recording setting and the other by a more polished studio production.