Chords for Larry Carlton, Grammy Award winning guitarist/victim of shooting

But if you listen to the radio or go to the movies or watch television,
you will certainly be familiar with his work.
Larry [C] Carlton joins us this morning, a studio guitarist featured on over
3000 sessions over the years, including albums by Barbra Streisand, Joni
[F] Mitchell, _ [C] Steely Dan, _ _ _ [Cm] _
_ _ _ _ movie soundtracks, solo albums.
He is a Grammy award winning artist and one of the music
industry's best known [Eb] guitarist.
But a little over a year ago, Larry nearly lost his life.
And of course, his career when he was shot [N] in front of his home, the victim
of a violent crime with no apparent motive.
Larry joins us this morning, not only to share this remarkable story of
courage and recovery, but also to perform.
And believe me, his guitar playing is, as you will hear, better than ever.
And it's great to see you, Larry.
And it's great to see you well.
Well, thank you.
I feel wonderful and it's nice to be back.
Take us back to that day in April of 88.
What happened?
_ _ April 6th, the day after my son's birthday, I showed up at my studio to do
some arranging for that night's sessions and the door was open to our office.
It was a spring day.
We were letting the breeze blow through and I could see through the window, _ a
little dog and two boys jog up under the carport, which leads into the office.
I thought their puppy dog was going to come into the office.
So _ I went over to the door to shut it. _
And when I got to the door, _ _ I reached around to close it and acknowledge the
kids and one of the kids stood there and pulled a _ .357
from behind him, shot
one shot, _ and it hit me in the throat, _ lodged in my back. _
_ _ They had to do a graft _ and I shouldn't be sitting here today
because of that wound, but I made it.
You lost a vocal cord?
Yeah.
The use of my left vocal cord is permanently gone.
_ Never ever have they found the boys or the boy.
Right.
And it's because there was no motive.
It was one of those random shootings that we all hear about.
Never thought it would happen to you.
Or you.
No.
Or anyone that we know.
Uh, how do you get through something like that?
I mean, the initial recovery, the depression, the anger, where did you put it? _ _
I have to really say in all honesty that I was able to put it away, I
think, _ because of my faith in God.
_ _ You were, you were born again before this happened.
Yes.
Six years ago.
Uh, and I'm sure that that is your strength.
But on the other hand, even though you trust God and you, and you believe that
there is a reason for everything, there have to be days when you go through
wondering and anger just about, about the issue of violent crime in general.
_ Yeah.
Um, _ it, it's such a, _ a reflection on our society.
I think that we have youth _ _ that are _ _ out shooting people and dealing in drugs and
dealing in thousands of dollars and don't want to work for a living.
Uh, you were given a medication for this and ultimately suffered addiction from
the very medication that was keeping you pain free.
Is that right?
Right.
The medication was an evil necessity because of the nature of the wound.
Uh, it was nerve damage.
_ And when nerves regenerate themselves and say we're back alive, it's like lightning
bolts shooting down your arm.
So I was on very heavy medication.
And to come off of that medication after six or eight weeks was about a week or
10 days of, uh, not a fun time.
Detox.
Exactly.
Very tough.
Exactly.
But you did it.
And many people don't have the courage to do that and face that either.
Um, were you worried that you wouldn't play again?
_ The doctors assured me and my wife that if I lived through the first 24 hours after
surgery, that I would play again.
I always wondered, will I ever play as good as I did before the shooting?
Are you playing as well?
Yes, I am.
You are for you and I'm sure you're your own worst critic.
_ Um, you are such a wonderful solo performer.
I mean, Grammy awards and your albums are great, but you spent years as a side man.
Uh, I wonder what that's like in terms of ego and recognition.
I mean, you do great work, you make the artist sound better, but you really don't
get recognition unless people are kind of devotees that pick up and read the back of
the album cover.
I think it all has to do with motive.
And in the seventies, I was very content _ being a side man, taking my paycheck,
_ excuse me, and having no responsibility after the session was over.
_ And now it's different for you.
Exactly.
I produced my own records.
I write my own songs.
The majority of them.
_ So it's, it's different.
I have all of the responsibility, which means all of the glory _ or, or _ _ _ let's just
mention before you play for us, hip is very important to you.
Hip is the organization you started.
Yes.
Uh, when I realized that I was going to live _ and have a career, we, my manager and
I started helping innocent people.
And just briefly, it's a nonprofit organization.
_ Right now we're working with the victims assistance programs across the country to _
help innocent victims of violent crime.
Great.
In any way that they need the help, right?
Yes.
That's terrific.
Let's just say that your new MCA album on solid ground is doing well.
You're performing at Berkeley tonight.
Yes.
Uh, and if the tickets are still available, not many, but call if you want to hear
fabulous music and the song you're playing and it's fitting _ because I think it matches you.
_ Smiles and smiles to go.
[G] That's great.
Thank you.
My Carlton.
Great to see you.
I appreciate it.
[C] All right.
I'm going to move out of here. _ _
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