Larry Davis

Biography

Larry Davis (December 4, 1936 – April 19, 1994) was an American electric Texas blues and soul blues musician. He is best known for co-writing the song "Texas Flood", later recorded to greater commercial success by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Biography

Davis was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and was raised in England, Arkansas, and Little Rock, Arkansas. He swapped playing the drums to learn to play the bass guitar. In the mid-1950s, he had a working partnership with Fenton Robinson, and following the recommendation of Bobby Bland was given a recording contract by Duke Records. Davis had three singles released, which included "Texas Flood" and "Angels in Houston". Thereafter, he had limited opportunity in the recording studio. He resided in St. Louis, Missouri, for a while, and played bass in Albert King's group. He also learned to play the guitar at this time; the guitar on Davis's recording of "Texas Flood" was by played by Robinson.
Several single releases on the Virgo and Kent labels followed, but in 1972 a motorcycle accident temporarily paralyzed Davis's left side. He returned a decade later with an album released by Rooster Blues, Funny Stuff×Funny Stuff23 October 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Funny Stuff3:452Teardrops6:283Next Time You See Me4:124Worried Dream5:035Totsy3:006Since I Been Loving You3:387That Will Never Do3:168Walk Out Like a Lady4:079Find 'em Fool 'em & Forget 'em4:3710Got to Be Some Changes Made4:15, produced by Oliver Sain. He won four W. C. Handy Awards in 1982, but a decade later he was known only to blues specialists. His 1987 Pulsar LP, I Ain't Beggin' Nobody×I Ain't Beggin' Nobody1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1I Ain't Beggin' Nobody3:032Sneaking Around4:163Giving Up on Love5:334I'm Coming Home5:495Little Rock4:096Please Don't Go4:157Last Night5:268I'm a Rollin' Stone3:499I've Got My Eyes on You3:23, was difficult even for blues enthusiasts to locate.
In 1992, Bullseye Blues issued another album, Sooner or Later×Sooner or Later23 June 1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1How Could You Do It to Me4:452I'm Workin on It2:593Penitentiary Blues4:114You'll Need Another Favor4:225Help the Poor3:556Letter From My Darling3:537Goin' Out West (Parts I & 2)5:588102nd St. Blues4:239How Long3:0610Little Bluebird5:5011Little Rock2:44, highlighting his booming vocals and guitar playing influenced by Albert King.
Davis died of cancer in April 1994, at the age of 57.

Selected discography

Live At J.B.Hutto's (1980), P-Vine
Funny Stuff (1982), Rooster Blues
Angels In Houston (1982), Rounder - shared album with Bobby Bland, James "Thunderbird" Davis, Fenton Robinson
Blues Knights (1985), Blue Phoenix; Evidence; Black & Blue - shared album with Byther Smith
I Ain't Beggin' Nobody (1987), Pulsar; Evidence
Sooner or Later (1992), Bullseye Blues/Rounder
Sweet Little Angel: B.B. King Presents Larry Davis (2002), P-Vine