Guitarist Lawrence Barris featured at Music in the Park

On July 5, Music in the Park features celebrated smooth jazz guitarist Larry Barris. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he started playing guitar at a very young age, began working professionally in and around Detroit at the age of 13, with "The Black Nasty," a well known local R &B Group. Recorded a couple singles with The Black Nasty on the Big Hit label. Larry shares "my first paid gig was with the group, and comedian Rudy Ray Moore. This was before Dolomite came out. The band was on stage while he was doing his act, bringing him on and off. His act was very crude. My mother and sister were in the audience. He notices my mother and says "hey a white lady is here" and he's about to say something else, I was sitting on top of my Kustom amp and I yelled "Thats My Mother" he turned around and looked at me and didn't say another word about her. It was a memorable first gig. Around the same time, I was practicing a lot and working on pop tunes like, Roberta Flacks's "Feel Like Making Love", Marvin Gaye's " What Goin' On " and The Isley Brothers " For the Love of You", turning them into instrumentals on guitar "I thought I was doing something new."

What today is called smooth jazz". Shortly thereafter started working with Detroit Jazz Greats, Marcus Belgrave,Teddy Harris, Donald Walden, Dennis Rowland, Wendell Harrison, Bobby Wright and Rod Lumpkin. Also worked, and/or performed with artists of national acclaim, including George Benson, Mary Wilson & The Supremes, Ben E. King, The 5th Dimension, George Burns, Joan Rivers, Earl Klugh, Joe Sample, Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Jack McDuff, Dave McMurray, Fabian, Little Anthony & the Imperials, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and more. 2001 was the release of his self titled first CD and 2003 he released Love on Me. 8pm-9pm, Thursday, July 5-Marquette Park, Mackinac Island (rain location is Horn's Gaslight Bar)