Larry Heard (born May 31, 1960,
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
) is a
MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. Memphis rises above the Mississippi River on the 4
th Chickasaw Bluff just south of the mouth of the Wolf River....
,
TennesseeTennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...
-based
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
widely known for the Chicago-based
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
he produced during the mid-1980s and continues to produce today. He was leader of the influential group Fingers Inc. and has
recordedSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
soloIn music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
under various names, most notably Mr. Fingers.
Born on the South Side of Chicago, Heard grew up hearing
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
and
MotownMotown Records was a group of record labels originally based in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. on January 12, 1959 as Tamla Records, the company was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of the words motor and town, is also a...
at home, and could play several
instrumentsA musical instrument is an object constructed or used for the purpose of making the sounds of music. In principle, anything that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the beginnings of human culture...
from a young age.
Larry Heard (born May 31, 1960,
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
) is a
MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. Memphis rises above the Mississippi River on the 4
th Chickasaw Bluff just south of the mouth of the Wolf River....
,
TennesseeTennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...
-based
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
widely known for the Chicago-based
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
he produced during the mid-1980s and continues to produce today. He was leader of the influential group Fingers Inc. and has
recordedSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
soloIn music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
under various names, most notably Mr. Fingers.
Born on the South Side of Chicago, Heard grew up hearing
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
and
MotownMotown Records was a group of record labels originally based in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. on January 12, 1959 as Tamla Records, the company was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of the words motor and town, is also a...
at home, and could play several
instrumentsA musical instrument is an object constructed or used for the purpose of making the sounds of music. In principle, anything that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the beginnings of human culture...
from a young age. Before beginning his solo musical career in 1983, he was a member of the bands Infinity (a
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
-fusion
coverIn popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
groupRock band redirects here. For the video game series, see Rock Band A musical ensemble is a group of two or more musicians who perform instrumental or vocal music...
that included
AdonisAdonis is a Chicago acid house pioneer with classic "We're Rockin Down The House" released in 1986. Also produced such pioneering works as 'No Way Back'....
) and
the Manhattan TransferThe Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
. He also worked for the
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government as a benefit authorizer, which enabled him to buy his first
studioA recording studio is a facility for sound recording. Ideally, the space is specially designed by an acoustician to achieve the desired acoustic properties...
equipment. Although he has created much music and his career is ongoing, he is most well-known for recording these
songA song is a metrical composition intended or adapted for singing, especially one in rhymed stanzas; a lyric; a ballad....
s, mostly from the mid-1980s:
- "Can You Feel It"
- "Bring Down the Walls" (ft. Robert Owens)
- "Mystery of Love"
- "Washing Machine"
- "Donnie" (as the It)
- "Closer"
- "What About this Love"
Much of Heard's music is released and re-released under different names, which include Fingers Inc., Mr. Fingers, Loosefingers, Fingers, House Factors, and Trio Zero.
Robert OwensRobert Owens is an R&B/Urban and House music vocalist best known for his work with the Chicago house group Fingers Inc. in the mid-1980s...
was the vocalist on many of those tracks. Heard was also part of the duo known as the It, along with street poet Harry Dennis.
In October 2004, "
Can You Feel ItCan You Feel It? Is the title of one of the first records released by Deep House legend Larry Heard also known as Mr. Fingers. It is regarded as the first Deep House record to come though in 1985 and is still a popular track in the deep house scene today....
" appeared in popular video game
Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a sandbox-style action-adventure computer and video game developed by Rockstar North. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, playing on
house-musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
radio stationRadio broadcasting is an audio broadcasting service, broadcast through the air as radio waves from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast common programming, either in syndication or simulcast or both...
SF-UR.
Albums
- Loose Fingers (soundtrack from the Duality Double-Play) (2005)
- Where Life Begins (2003)
- Love's Arrival (2001)
- Genesis (1999)
- Dance 2000 Part 2 (1998)
- Dance 2000 Part 1 (1997)
- Alien (1996)
- Sceneries Not Songs Volume Tu (aka Ice Castles) (1995)
- Sceneries Not Songs Volume 1 (1994)
- Introduction (1992)
- Another Side (1988) (Featuring Robert Owens & Ron Wilson)
Singles/EPs
- "Mystery of Love" (1985, DJ International)
- "Bring Down the Walls" (1986, Trax)
- "Can You Feel It
Can You Feel It? Is the title of one of the first records released by Deep House legend Larry Heard also known as Mr. Fingers. It is regarded as the first Deep House record to come though in 1985 and is still a popular track in the deep house scene today....
" (1986, Trax)
- "A Path" (1987, Alleviated)
- "Distant Planet" (1988, Alleviated)
- "A Love of My Own" (1988, Alleviated)
- "On a Corner Called Jazz" (1992, MCA)
- "What About this Love?" (1992, MCA)
- "Closer" (1992, MCA)
- "The Complete "Can You Feel It" (2004)
- "Dead-End Alley" (1989, MCA)
- "25 Years From Alpha" (2008, Alleviated)
Other appearances
- Acid LP (1988)
- Inspirations (2001)
- We Call it Acieeed (2002)
- The Wild Bunch: The Original Underground Massive Attack (2002)
- Original Chicago House Classics (2002)
- Mastercuts Bar Social, Vol. 2 (2002)
- Serie Noire 2 (2003)
- Move Your Body: The Evolution of Chicago House (2003)
- Ministry of Sound: Late Night Sessions (2003)
- Inspirations (2 CDs) (2003)
- Culture Club Compilation (2003)
See also
External links