American bluegrass guitarist and singer/songwriter, born September 15, 1947 in Lebanon, Ohio. Brother of musician and writer Bernice Sparks. Father of Larry D. Sparks. Raised in a musical family, and his earliest appearances were with his sister Bernice. At the age of seventeen, he got the opportunity to play guitar for the Stanley Brothers, and at nineteen he became Ralph Stanley’s lead singer, after Carter Stanley’s death. Three years later, he formed his own band, the Lonesome Ramblers. He had recorded a single earlier on Jack Lynch’s Jalyn label as Larry Sparks and the Sandy Mountain Boys. Before that, he had his first appearance on record with Erwin Keith and the Slade Mountain Boys on Dayton’s Top Tennessee label. After forming the Lonesome Ramblers, he cut his debut album on the Pine Tree label in Hamilton, entitled Ramblin’ Guitar with half vocals and half instrumentals. Cut two more LPs for Pine Tree and four for Cincinnati-based King Bluegrass. After that, he recorded for Old Homestead, Starday, County, Lesco (his own label), June Apple, Acoustic Revival, and a long string of LPs and CDs on Rebel. Larry was selected as the IBMA Vocalist of the Year in both 2004 and 2005, and his CD 40, celebrating his forty years in bluegrass, was selected as both the Album of the Year and the Recorded Event of the Year by the IBMA in 2005. In 2014, he released a CD celebrating fifty years in bluegrass music. In 2015, he was elected to the IBMA Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
2023
Rebel Records (3)
LP, Album
2019
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2016
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Comp
2014
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2011
Rounder Records
CD, Album
2011
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album, Comp
2009
Rural Rhythm Christian
CD, Album
2008
Rebel Vault Masters
HDCD, Comp
2008
Sparks Music (2)
CD, Album
2007
McCoury Music
CD, Album
2005
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2003
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2002
2002
2001
Rebel Vault Masters
HDCD, Comp
2001
2000
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
1997
Mountain Home Music Company
CD, Album
1996
1994
1989
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Comp
1988
1986
1985
Old Homestead Records
LP, Album
1985
Old Homestead Records
LP, Album
1983
1982
Old Homestead Records
LP, Comp
1982
Old Homestead Records
LP, Album
1982
1981
Acoustic Revival Records
LP, Album
1981
Lesco Records
7"
1980
1977
1976
1966
Jalyn Records
7"
1992
1987
1985
1980
2024
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Smithsonian Folkways
2xLP, Comp
2022
2016
2013
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2013
2012
Upper Management Music
CD, Album
2010
Smithsonian Folkways
CD, Comp
2010
Rebel Vault Masters
CD, Comp
2010
Time Life
CD, Comp
2009
Rounder Records
CDr, Album
2008
Remember
CD, Comp, RM
2008
Gaither Music Group
DVD, Album
2008
2007
Not On Label
CD, Album
2007
Koch Records
CD
2006
Not On Label (Glorious Chorus Self-released), Not On Label (Glorious Chorus Self-released)
CD, Album
2006
2005
Stanleytone Records
CD, Album
2005
Copper Creek Records
CD, Album
2004
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2004
2003
Rebel Records (3)
CD, Album
2002
Mountain Home Music Company
CD, Album
2002
King Records (3)
3xCD, Comp
2002
2000
Sugar Hill Records (2)
CD, Album
1999
Not On Label (Gopher Broke Bluegrass Self-released)
CD, Album
1997
Hay Holler Records
CD, Album
1997
Rebel Records (3)
4xCD, Comp
1997
1995
Foxfire Productions (3)
CD, Album
1994
Upper Room Records (3)
Cass, Album
1994
Mountain Home Music Company
Cass, Album
1994
Upper Room Records (3)
CD, Album
1994
Word, The Acappella Company
Cass, Album
1994
1994
1993
1992
The Network, Munich Records
CD, Comp
1992
Pinecastle Records
CD, Album
1992
Heart And Soul Music, Heart And Soul Music, Heart And Soul Music
CD, Album
1991
Not On Label
Cass, Album
1989
Word
Cass, Album
1987
1986
Atteiram
LP, Album
1986
FXL Records
LP, Album
1985
1984
Old Homestead Records
LP, Album
1983
Central Records (8)
LP
1983
1983
1983
1982
Rebel Records (3)
LP, Album, Comp
1982
1981
Wheatland County Records
LP, Album
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