Larry Givens
By Bruce Clark
Larry Givens is still living in Pennsylvania. Sadly, I was told that he has been ill for several years with multiple sclerosis; he gets very tired, and it is very difficult for him to correspond. The last I knew, most of his vast collection had been sold, with the exception of his Chickering Ampico and perhaps one or two other instruments that he could not part with. As far as I know, Larry is not on the Internet.
Larry's book about Adam Carrol, although quite short, was very interesting, and it contains many interesting pictures. He traces Adam Carroll's life at the Ampico Corporation, and outlines his personal experience in meeting Adam, and bringing Adam to his home to hear many of his own recordings that he had not heard since the Ampico recording days.
Larry also brought some of Adam's former Ampico friends together for the first time since the days of roll production. Larry named his first son after Adam Carrol, which of course delighted Mr. Carroll. After all this occurred, Adam sank into a deep depression, and the book describes how this depression was overcome, and how Adam lived out his final years.
I also remember a two day visit to Larry's home, in the late 1950's and recall all his wonderful instruments, and his wonderful hospitality.
Bruce Clark
bac4@juno.com |
(Message sent Mon 10 Feb 1997, 13:55:18 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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