Larry Carlton is a highly acclaimed American guitarist who plays jazz fusion, rock, R&B and pop and has accompanied a wide range of top artists on recordings including Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Herb Alpert as well as sustaining a solo career. He studied guitar as a child in Southern California and established himself as a session musician with notable solos on Mike Post's Grammy Award-winning 1981 hit single 'Theme from Hill Street Blues' and Steely Dan's acclaimed track 'Kid Charlemagne' on their 1976 release 'The Royal Scam'.
He has played with jazz fusion outfit The Crusaders and smooth jazz ensemble Fourplay. His debut solo studio album 'With a Little Help from My Friends' came out in 1969 followed by a long list of studio and live releases including 'Friends' (1983), which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. The soundtrack from the 1984 Taylor Hackford feature film 'Against All Odds', which he wrote with French composer Michel Colombier, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture Or a Television Special. He also wrote the theme for Tony Danza's long running television sitcom 'Who's the Boss?' (1984-1992).
'Discovery' was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987 for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental and the track 'Minute By Minute' was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. His concert release 'Last Nite' was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group in 1987. 'On Solid Ground'(1989) and 'Larry and Lee' (1995), with Lee Witenour, were both nominated for Best Jazz Fusion Performance. 'Yes, Please!' was nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2000. 'No Substitutions: Live In Osaka', with singer-guitarist Steve Lukather, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album and the track 'Room 335' was nominated as Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
'Deep Into It' (2002) and 'Journey' (2004) were nominated as Best Contemporary Jazz Album. 'X' (2006), 'Fire Wire' (2006), 'Greatest Hits Rerecorded, Vol. 1' (2008) and 'Four Hands & a Heart, Vol. 1' (2012) were nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album. 'Take Your Pick' (2012) won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Album. A compilation release, 'Larry Carlton Collection' came out in 1990 and in 2019 he released the album 'All Blues' with English guitarist Peter Frampton. His 2020 schedule was to include appearances at venues in Hawaii, New York and Texas.
