Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast
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Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast
The Second Act: (former Singer of Bar Kay's) Larry Dodson's Journey of Music, Faith and Resurgence
Get ready to be captivated by the poignant journey of the formal singer of the Bar Kay's Larry Dodson, a multi-gold platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and producer. Larry bares his soul as he recounts his journey to reconnect with God over the last 20 years, shaping the person he is today. This divine path took him from contemplating retirement to being inspired by fellow musicians to make a comeback. Alongside his son, Larry has formed a new record label and released his first solo album.
In the second half of our chat, Larry takes us on a nostalgic trip down memory lane, retracing his music career that kicked off at just 11 years old. He also sheds light on his journey to penning his autobiography, getting candid about his motivations and the valuable advice he received from fellow artists. Larry's reflections on the potential impact of his story on others are heartfelt and moving. As we wind up, Larry drops some pearls of wisdom for budding artists and gives a sneak peek into his upcoming events. Stay tuned, as Larry's exploration into the world of music promises to be a rollercoaster of emotions.
If your in the music industry- singer, songwriter, composer, indie, neo singer, rapper, country artist, promoter, manager, music lawyer or blues please email me to be a guest on my show at myguest@spit2dabeat.com I would love to hear your Spit about the Music Industry.
And welcome to spit to the beat podcast. I'm your host, stacey aka be unstoppable per year and today I am honored and privileged to have one of the most iconic guests on my show today. But before I bring them all, you know how do I kick my intro and don't forget that you can catch a lot of my video clips on my facebook page. As they say, be unstoppable per year, or Stacy, spit to the beat per year, don't forget to go on my youtube channel and spit to the beat and catch the full clip or all my latest episode and this episode video of my interview. Thank you for joining spit to the beat podcast today. Ladies and gentlemen, I got a very special guest in the house with me multi gold platinum selling singer, songwriter and producer, the former lead singer of one of the most iconic r&b and funk band today in the city of Memphis and nationwide the bar case. Today joining me in the studio of spit to the beat, my guest, mr larry dots are you guys doing?
Speaker 2:there we go hey, yeah they say what's up?
Speaker 1:not much. I'm so excited to have you.
Speaker 2:I want to show them honor and I'm privileged oh, hey, look it's, I'm, it's, I'm delightful to be here, man, it's great, it's great, it's great.
Speaker 1:Thank you for taking us in time, it's wonderful man.
Speaker 2:Uh heard a lot about your show, so uh, let's get rolling let's get it rolling.
Speaker 1:Look, I want to start off with some little person that you said it was a quote, uh, that really triggered a few things for me that I liked, and I just want to start off with that. You quoted saying that my relationship with god supersedes anything I do. I know that if I have good relationship with god, god would take care of my family. It wasn't always that way, but it certainly has been over the last 20 years. You said that and it really jumped out at me to understand, because you have a rich history, yeah, and been in the music industry for decades almost, uh, five decades. What does that? What? What does? How does that define the Larry Dawson of today?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, in a nutshell it says everything. It's the utmost truth about what I am and who I am. You know, I was out of the church and sort of disconnected with the Lord for years. There's something sometimes that happens, man, you know, when you're out there making lots of money and you get signed and tracked. And my wife, she invited me to the church that she was going to. She said, if you come here one time, she said I guarantee you're going to join the church, but more than anything, you're going to reconnect with the Lord. And sure enough, I went to hear Pastor Christopher Davis that one time, and he is. That was over 20 years ago and he is still my pastor today and a really, really good friend and a man of God. That sort of defines who I am and what I am about man. And I have a saying that it's hard to get tripped up if you stay on your knees. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I never ever forgot that? My housekeeper told me. She says it's hard to get tripped up if you just stay on your knees.
Speaker 1:And it just stuck with me.
Speaker 2:It just stuck with me, man. So that leads me through my life journey and I've been such a happier guy, a more grounded guy over the last 25 years. And, of course, you know my 30 year 30 album journey with the Bar Kays, which has taken me over five decades to get done. It's been incredible, man. It's been simply. I am so very blessed to have had a wonderful career and also to be married to a wonderful woman. We just celebrated our 52nd anniversary. I took her to Las Vegas every Wednesday, bruno Mars, and she allowed me to do that. She knew that I was gonna have some fun and we was gonna have some fun as well, but I'm just having a ball man. For those of you who've been really following me very closely, you know that a couple of years ago I actually tried to retire, which was a very bad idea, stacey, because what anything wrong?
Speaker 1:with me.
Speaker 2:I just you know, being married to a long and I have a special needs daughter and we just said we's gonna stop my wife and I said let's just retire and spend some time with our daughter, take her around the world, and she's downstanding, but she's a wonderful, wonderful.
Speaker 2:Her name is Precious but she's very very very well groomed and she's able to do for herself. She's been working for over 28 years, so that's been a blessing, but we just thought we would stop. I took about two years off, man, and I missed it so much, stacey man, and it missed me, you know.
Speaker 1:And then that was fine, I heard you was inspired by some other guys, other legends. That is not singing and more to get back into the game.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, man trust me. Look, frankie Beverly. Frankie Beverly was at my. We were on the cruise, on Tom Joyner cruise, and they surprised me. That was one of my last concerts and he came up in the middle of the show and he and Tom gave me a big birthday cake and Charlie Wilson was one of my dear friends.
Speaker 2:He gave me a lot of encouragement to invite me back and also to give me some, some, some solos. If you were gonna stay out of it, it's okay, but he's the man they're gonna be gonna miss you. So all that kind of Marinated over to me and I. I talked to my son. I said tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm something I've never done. I let's form another label, another recording label. So we perform music. Music moves records. My son and I, my wife and I, did my first solo album, man.
Speaker 2:Yeah yours truly, larry D, and from that man, it has been just a joyous ride, man. I got my first single, got to be top 30 Billboard and I'm just doing really, really well, man. I'm back to where I just played Atlanta with Lakeside, no.
Speaker 1:Don't look like you lost the step on the stage.
Speaker 2:I hope. I hope not. I'll tell you I did lose. I lost 30 pounds, did you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I'm okay.
Speaker 2:I'm on my way to Lubbock Texas, and then I'm gonna play Memphis with Midnight Star, lakeside, bobby rush and OB Buchanan. So those are the next two concerts. I'm gonna do this for November, then I'm I'm gonna do that Where's the funk fest come November 25, I believe. Yeah, that's. It's called the first annual funk and blues fast.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:I'm guys over here midnight star myself and late Saturday we got my uncle Bobby rush and OB Buchanan. Only on the blue side, it's gonna, it's gonna sell out. It's gonna be a really, really, really cool, cool concert yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna take I'll be headlining in Lubbock on November, the 4th yeah and then I don't know how I do. I'm gonna do I'm gonna do a new year's Eve day, probably working on that, and then I'm gonna shut it down for the year yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay. So how, how's the solo career going? I mean, I know, you missed those guys there, those behind you, all the time. I'm saying now you out there in front, you look around back. I mean you got people playing for you, but it's not those guys anymore. So how's your solo adventures going?
Speaker 2:It's okay. You know, I had to get over looking to look into my left, you know. And then I had to get used to that. Charlie told me, charlie Wilson told me. He said he says, don't be something, because he had the same problem. He would look over to his. Wow, this is right, he didn't see running, he didn't see Robert and he got the. If I keep, his first concert by himself was in Memphis, so I got channel talk to get the jitterbug.
Speaker 2:So but I'm good, you know. You know 90% of my show is all that, all the iconic music that I did with the bar case, and so it's not much difference, you know. Except I can, I can blend in my new music and people like it. The single is out now. It's called Mr Monica man and they dig it and I'm sure that much different side of Larry and it's a much more romantic side at times. So I'm getting a chance to do that. That's something I didn't have a chance to do and not worry about, yeah, alienating the bar K fans. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:So, I'm at the best of both worlds. It's amazing.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Look a hold tight, right quick. We're gonna come back on, talk a little bit more about your solo as well as you're gonna. Author. How about that?
Speaker 2:That sounds great.
Speaker 1:All right hold tight.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Hey, this is Stacy aka be unstoppable per you with spit to the beat podcast. Will you like to be my guest? If you're a singer, songwriter, musician, producer or promoter, give me a call at 901-341-6777 or email me at my guest at spit to the beat. And we're back to spit to the beat podcast. I'm your host, stacy aka be unstoppable per you, and today I am joined in the studio, the virtual studio, a spit to the beat my guest, mr Larry Dosson. Now we're gonna go back and talk a little bit about more of your Solo career, but let's jump into you being an author now. Let me put my headphones back on.
Speaker 2:All right. So it just so happens that I have there we go of the Return around the right way, yeah okay yours truly, larry D. No, no, no, sorry, and the band plays on your true, yeah, yeah, but this is gonna get done.
Speaker 1:right, there we go so the title, as well as what was your thoughts, you put into the book you got me.
Speaker 2:Oh, we back. Okay, I'm sorry, we lost for a minute.
Speaker 2:But I say that you know, my son and I we would. We would get in the house and then we talk about you know what, what I've got to do for that week or that month of concerts, because he has all the marketing for me and I would tell him all these Wonderful stories about, you know, when we on the road and different things, he said, pop, he needs to write a book, as I've never done that, you know. So he's just keeps the notes for four miles. So I started and over two years I had enough to actually do the book, and I did it in real time. I wrote this book during the time that I was my last couple of years before I retired, so up until the day I retired. So it's in real time, but, as rightfully so it's called, and the band plays on, which was perfect for me because the band did play on, even after I took seven months to pick somebody to take my place. James and I planned it out pretty well, you know, but it's, it's my book, it's all about my life. It's nobody else's garbage. It's what I mean by this. I don't Tell a lot of stuff on other people. This is a backstage pass at my career pre-bar case, through the bar case and even after and it's amazing and all the things that I remembered and my editor.
Speaker 2:She said she was actually supposed to Help me with the book. She said I'll give her my notes. She said there, you say you're writing the book. The only thing she told me was she said okay, now you're right. She said now, give me that out stuff. Give me that stuff, just go make. You say outs when you tell it. So she said be more candy, because no matter what it is, no matter how much that you think it is, it turns into ministry. Because even through, even through my drug addiction and Inbaliment, alcoholism and stuff like that, she said look at you, now you know. She said look, how many kids are gonna be looking at reading this book and saying you beat it and you're wonderful today. So I can too. So I have to look at it through that way, because I was a little embarrassed about some of the stuff, but I've been so many things to be proud of. Man, you look back here and you see all the albums. I'm in my office now. I mean it's filled with gold and glad them albums.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, I do see, yeah, yeah. So, with that being said, writing your book, I know. First of all, I would like to say congratulations on writing your book because you're still alive to tell the story yourself, and most artists have gone and passed away and then someone else is writing their life. So I thank you that you're still alive and, like many artists, able to tell your own story and make sure you have Hands on like what, what really happened, and it's definitely a different autobiography of you for real.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, and I mean I said things in a book that I had never shared with anybody, but it has been such a good read. I did make a long book out of it, and I talked to Joe uncle, george Clinton, and I talked to Charlie, who had both done books, and I kind of got some tips as to you know. I said should I make this a long book? Should I? He said, no, just make it a short read.
Speaker 2:But just tell the truth and and be real candid so people can really get to know you better. And I did that and, as a matter of fact, you know what. I just took a trip and I had to read it again for maybe the third, third time because it has been so is it's such an interesting book, man.
Speaker 2:You know I forgot some stuff that I had shared with it, with my fans, man it is. I go get the book wherever you get good book on books Amazon it's called and the band plays on the light story of Larry Dodson.
Speaker 1:That is amazing. I'm definitely gonna get the book myself. Look, let's talk about one other thing. Oh, you're career, let's talk. Let's join it back in the past just a little bit. You Been a singer, started off 11 years old with the group to Tim Preeze, yeah, and went on to stacks records and signed a deal. How was that an 11? Singing?
Speaker 2:Well, I tell you what let's, let's, let's go back first of all, starting to Tim Preeze was just one of the joys in my life, man. We were okay. Yes, you know singing in the band for us, but you can get that harmony in the bath room and make it really sound like you're really cool. That was a joy in my life and after I joined the bar case in 1970 a couple years later, the temp is actually came to stacks and and started the career of their own and okay, going on through.
Speaker 2:You know what was the second part of your question. You asked around.
Speaker 1:Well, just you now. Yeah, you was going into your transition over to the bar case, becoming the lead singer. How was you at that time?
Speaker 2:I was 19 years old. I was singing at the club here with the Tempries and one Sunday, james, who was the leader of the band at that time, because four of the guys had gotten killed with Otis in the playing crash.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:And I never in a million years man states that believe or thought that they would want to have a singer, because they never had a singer. They were just an instrumental group whose incident with that first record was a million seller soul finger. It was just an iconic piece. I joined in 1970 and the career has spanned it over five decades. We've had top 10 records in all five decades. Man, we were in a very elite group, in a very elite bunch of guys. I would say that maybe the temptations cool and then fire, maybe the whispers. Only a few groups have been together 50 years like this and done as much music as we have.
Speaker 1:Right, right, I mean y'all have. Y'all have produced timeless music, music that people can still dance, sing and move and grow to till this day.
Speaker 1:They continue on. Yeah, so that's amazing. I mean most people, most artists, they produce some music I have this and that and they battle against their first album with their second album. But y'all have produced music, timeless music, that people still sing today and go on and like, yeah, those are the barcades, well, those, yeah, that's Larry, we jamming, you know. So it's amazing as a blessing that how y'all have, as a group and you today, impact so many lives and change so many lives and made a few babies along the way.
Speaker 2:That's what they say, especially with anticipation. They said you know, that was one big night.
Speaker 2:That's when little Johnny got to see one night after the ball. Listen to the patient. That's a good music, yes, timeless, timeless, timeless. We've done some amazing things. We've been inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, the art the. We've been inducted to the R&B Hall of Fame. We have a note on Mill Street, of course, our, some of our album not well, some of our, some of our outfits and some pieces of our equipment is in this, in Nashville and at the museum, the Smithsonian. And in Nashville, memphis, here in Memphis, at the Soulsville, which is an incredible museum, you know, and I have a street named after me. Here, man, I have two honorary degrees from HBCUs. Man and man, I just can't tell you. It's just been a wonderful career, man, a wonderful career that I'm still able to get out here and and, as you say, I still. I don't know about all that, but I'm still trying very hard.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you was getting down in the ladder.
Speaker 2:I was. I have to say that was a very good.
Speaker 1:It's like you have a good time on the stage and it's almost like second nature to you now coming back out as a solo artist.
Speaker 2:I.
Speaker 1:Said you look like you had a great time in Atlanta being a solo artist, coming back out on stage.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, man, you know being able to sing because you know what I'm tasting. It's not much different because I, like I said, 90% of the show is all of the songs that I did with the bar case. They want to hear every one of them because when you've had 20 top 10 records, man, they want to hear everyone and I sit and in everyone that I, with the exception Maybe a few, I do them in the show, even that you're either in a medley form, because it's quite hard to do all those songs when you only doing maybe an hour, you know. But I pick out the best ones that are like and they especially the ones that have been in movies and stuff like that. So I try to pick the most familiar and those have done the best for us.
Speaker 2:Yeah and so we have a great show. We're a great show. I gotta stand in on vision in that land of me.
Speaker 1:Okay, cool. Hey, hold tight one more time for me. I'm gonna come back on, take a little break.
Speaker 2:Right, okay.
Speaker 1:Hey, this is Stacy. Aka be unstoppable per you. Thank you for listening to our show spit to the beat Monty. If you would like to be a sponsor, visit our website at wwwspit to the beat Monty and click the support tab and leave a donation. We really will appreciate. Thank you again for listening. Also kids. Every episode Thursday morning at 8 am.
Speaker 1:Very and we're back in the studio, the virtual studio spit to the beat podcast, with my very, very special guest Joining me for a singer of the bar case, mr Larry Doss. Now the solo artist. Let's jump right on to a few more little questions. Right quick, you're doing a lot now. Yeah, I mean you. I think you're doing even more now than you was doing a couple years ago. Solo artists, author of a book. Now you're doing radio. Tell us about. You got your own radio station.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what? Two years ago here in Memphis there's a station, a new station came up. They wanted a celebrity is WAB and they called this up the trend. They're on FM, 104 FM and 1240 on the AF side simultaneously. They needed somebody like my, like me, a celebrity. And I'd never done that States, I've never done anything like that. So I said, well, I'll do one day, I'll give me Saturday mornings and I chose the airship of 10 to noon. That was two years ago and I'm still doing it. I mean Also my friends and I called Some of my friends that who had gotten into radio just by chance, milly Jackson. I called her and I asked her I know where did you end up being that? For that he said, larry, I went to do it and I never left and I understand absolutely Adore it now I don't do it every time.
Speaker 2:I do it every day, but for just that airship. I do Classic R&B and I play new stuff as well, but it's just really, really, really cool for me to do that.
Speaker 1:That is awesome. They try to give me another.
Speaker 2:They try to give me another cities, but I haven't decided to do that yet. They have to be out to me, so I must be doing a pretty good job.
Speaker 1:Yo, I go out to tell them. Look, he's trying to enjoy life. Now Come on Three years anniversary.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look, going in Las Vegas to see somebody else. Whenever we have a chance and she allows, she's a good girl.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. She's a beautiful woman, thank you let's talk about? Um, you got some things coming up Next month. You talked about a little bit earlier, uh, the funk fest, the blues, the funk and blues fest, november the 25th. Uh, give us that line up again If you don't mind.
Speaker 2:It's gonna be midnight star, my friends, lakeside, the original lakeside, uh, my uncle bobby rush and obv view cannon and, of course, larry jay with his entire band and his Dancers and all that things that we do, you know, the bombs, the smokes, the snakes and everything man. Oh, wow that's real things. It's gonna be amazing. Can't tell too much. I gave off. I'm sorry, talk too much already. I gave out.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, we're gonna leave it at that. Why would it find a question? What? What would you give artists that's coming up in the music industry? What would be your uh advice to help them to to avoid pitfalls and uh mishaps?
Speaker 2:You know, you know stays. What I would really say to the young and the old is to really make sure that you have a real, really good desire deep down in your heart to really be an entertainer and surround yourself with the smartest people that you can find. The smartest people, Because I mean, what makes you smart is the fact to know that you aren't the smartest like Boob in the room.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Get out and step with the best attorneys, the best crew, the best band, the best manager management that you can, and that will give you a better chance. But first of all, first and foremost, you can get tripped up if you stay on your knees, man.
Speaker 1:Oh, there you go, there you go and that's how you end it. I want you to hold tight as I close out the show. Thank you again for coming on and sharing with my audience. I'll spit to the beat. That's what we all about Entertain, music entertainment, as well as people that are in the acting business and stuff like that. So, john, you're an entertainment and you coming on and sharing this valuable information. I really do appreciate you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:It's my pleasure, it's been delightful. And if you want, if you want to find out what's going on in my world, just go to wwwthelaridottsincom. Follow me on Instagram, facebook, twitter, tic Tac on the Real Larry Dotson, you'll find out everything that's going on. You can get my books, my music and find out what my tour schedule is like for now. I'm booking for next year. If you want me to come and play for you, please do, and just get on my, come to my website and all the information there. Stacey's been delightful. Come get Uncle Larry on again sometime, all right?
Speaker 1:We are. We are a whole type of me okay.
Speaker 2:Sure 糙, come down to the side, come, Come back down, come down you.
