What They're Saying

Press On O'Pilgrim Named DJ Hot Pick - Read • Industry Quotes - Read • Life Stories

Thankful 2008 Tour, Gospel CD & Radio Chatter

	“Hear this now; engrave the Grammy. Make a lot of room on the shelf for a bunch of IBMA awards…YES, it’s that good! This is a Gospel album, and as Stephenson’s remarkably high, remarkably clear tenor can only be described as God-given, there is that meeting of origin and intent, such that the very sound of this album carries the experience beyond what the mere words to the songs say.” Victory Review
	"If anyone doesn't know the name Larry Stephenson - then they don't "know" Bluegrass at all. One of the finest tenors ever in the genre of Bluegrass - Larry's voice and talent only ages as fine wine does. His music is as new, fresh and exciting as ever, as is his approach to each new project. We're "THANKFUL" for Larry Stephenson, giving us years of great music and hopefully many, many more! " - Gracie Muldoon, WorldWideBluegrass.com
	"Larry's new Thankful CD is the best ever! Kudos on his selection of material as it's very inspiring and the presentation is fabulous. I'm really enjoying the great quartet on "Press On Pilgrim," and the message in "I Need the Prayers," hit home with me. I've played it endlessly since I got it and I'll feature it on one of my radio programs. Just when I think I've heard the best from Larry he blows me away with even better music. I hope the bluegrass community will give this the airplay it deserves, because this is award-winning music."- Wayne Bledsoe, Bluegrass Now Magazine
	“Stephenson has honed his voice into one of the best bluegrass tenors* this side of Bobby Osborne*.” - Keith Lawrence – Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
	Larry, I just loaded the entire project "Thankful" into my computer for use on my program. Man you blew me away. The entire project is great...This has to be the best Bluegrass Gospel I've heard. I've been in radio since 1960 and I say again this is the best Bluegrass Gospel I have had the pleasure of listening to or presenting on the air." - Dean Lilly, JoyFM.
	"Larry Stephenson never takes anybody on the road with him who does not have a love for, and a talent for, doing the good gospel songs that he has loved and performed for so many years. He never does a show without including a few old, and some original, gospel and inspirational tunes. His gospel songs never come off as being preachy or showy; Larry’s reverence for all things spiritual comes off as natural as breathing." - Tom T. Hall
	“For gospel lovers, Stephenson fans, and anyone who appreciates well-performed roots music, Thankful is an inspiring disc.” ALL MUSIC GUIDE
	“Larry Stephenson is a crafty veteran of bluegrass and bluegrass/gospel music, with an impressive catalog of both styles of albums to his credit. This latest collection will rank among the best yet, thanks largely to an incredibly touching delivery of the album’s title track song, Thankful, an item out of the Louvin Brothers songbook. Larry’s simple, plaintive delivery of this very meaningful song, makes it one of the all-time best vocal performances in bluegrass music!” – COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS.

Press On O'Pilgrim Named DJ Hot Pick on Prime Cuts Vol. 91
Prime Cuts of Bluegrass DJ COMMENTS PRESS ON O’ PILGRIM

A genius in the real sense of the word.  Ted Clark, Clark Bluegrass Radio Productions
Great CD!  Clyde Scott, Bluegrass Radio.org
One of my favorite and soon to be a favorite of everyone.  Great project from a great person.   Ronnie Moretz,  WHHQ
I’ve been playing for several months.  Bill Miller, GoBluegrass.com
Fine bluegrass gospel.  Paul Morris, WXKQ/WTCW
Great job, my friend.  Keep it up.  Junior Billings, WHKX/WHQX
Really good song.  Terry Wood , WTWZ
This great track fits right in with our weekly gospel‐grass hour. Keith Fuller, KRRM
Can’t get any better.  It’s great gospel!  Gene Roberts, KDHX
Great harmonies.  Bill Hazel, 4DDB  Excellent gospel.  Rein Wortelboer, Radio Venray
Wow!  Knocks your socks off!  Al Shusterman, KCBL  Outstanding talents!  Wayne Nault, WYKX
I love Larry Stephenson!  Max Wilson, WBVV
Great Sunday morning bluegrass gospel song.  Marty McKinney, WMDJ
What a great song Larry has here!  Would like to interview him.  I play him every day. Carroll Parham, KCLW/KEQX
Have project.  All good!  Bobby Franklin, WKXR  Good!  Nadine Hopkins, WLIJ
The best! Larry Brooks, Florida Public Radio
Great song!  Send CD!  Ed Stiner, WJFC
Absolute excellence from an artist who knows how, why and where.  Howard Bonner, CFRC/CJHR
Good gospel song.  Wayne Rice, KSON
Just the way it should be - clean and clear.  Maurice Kurtz, Valley FM/ QBN FM
Good Larry Stephenson song.  Garry Tilley, WDSL
Already playing this album.  Darwin Lee Hill, WHVW
Great singing and music!  Graham Hassall, Radio Nightingale
Great CD to add to our play list on Stained Glass Bluegrass.  Top notch, as usual
    by Larry.   Bob Webster, WAMU/Stained Glass Bluegrass
I’ll be playing everything on this project.  Frank Hoppe, KCSN|
It’s Stephenson!  It’s top shelf!    Gracie Muldoon, WorldWideBluegrass.com
Super song and super delivery!  This song alone should make the CD a major hit as “Press On...” has inspired lyrics and the
   band’s arrangement is equally inspired.  Larry just gets better!   Wayne Bledsoe, KMST
Great track!  Wonderful vocal arrangement.  Very good instrumentation.   Mario Wildner, Radio Dresden
It’s about time Larry has another all gospel project.  He has always done gospel bluegrass better than most.  And this one is no
   exception, cover to cover. I’ll be wearing this one out.  Hank Janney, WGTY
It’s so good to see Larry cuttin’ (and I do mean cuttin’) a new gospel project.  It’s superb!!!   Buddy Michaels, WBAG/WKRX/WLHC
Great song.  J. D. Jessee, WLRV
Had to play that one a few times!  Love it!  Vicki Abbott, WorldWideBluegrass.com
As always -- great singing and instrumentation! Will play often!  Blessings.    Chester & Terri Kreitzer, WTRM
Larry Stephenson at his best!!  Dan Caldwell, WWAG
This song has a lot of meaning with the lyrics and I believe it will get a lot of playing time on
    my radio show.  Erwin & Virginia Armstrong, WOBC
The audience really likes this tune!  Keith Neisler, KIOS  Excellent! I have the whole CD and play
   from it often!  Dusty Owens, TCMRadio.com
Just one of several good songs on Larry's new CD.  Jadon Gibson, WNTT/WLAF/WLUM/WCXZ/WMRD
This is Larry at his best and that's mighty fine!  Dave Rousseau, KKUS/KFRO/KCUL
Fine song.  Larry does a great job on this and all his music.  I have a copy of the CD.  Bill Reno, WMMT
Excellent!  I love it!  Bob Rogers, WIXE  Great!  Tom Reeder, WAMU
A solid performance, as usual.  Wilson Moore, CHMA
Fantastic bluegrass gospel song.  Dominique Lemarechal, Radio RCF Rivages
Larry Stephenson has taken his music to another level with this
    awesome gospel CD.   Charlie Hall, WCYO/WorldWideBluegrass.com
Great one!  We need more of these.  Wow!  Jim Ganoe, Gospel Gem Radio Spotlight
I have been airing this CD.  Great job.  Thank you!  Carl Solander, WTIP/WRNC
Great tune!  Jiles Williams, WOBL
Always love Larry!  Greg Tutwiler, iRadio.com
Larry is certainly a favorite of mine; he never disappoints, and always has great musicians on
     his recordings and in his band.  Joe Wills, WBZC
Super new album.  Patrick Molis, IDFM Radio Enghien
Extremely well done.  Unfortunately, we don't play a lot of gospel songs.   Dennis Brunnenmeyer, KVMR
Good album, good cut.  David Blakney, CJAM
Larry, looking forward to our interview March 17.  Mike Moore, WLOE/WMYN
Many folks have a special love for bluegrass gospel and I am no exception.  When it is good, there is no sweeter sound.
   Larry Stephenson and the band really delivered on Press On O' Pilgrim.   Sonny  Van Gelder, KBCS
What great stuff!  A great cut from a great album!  Joe Steiner, WLFC
Thanks for sending this project to WYSO.  We're playing it and it's great!  Joe Colvin, WYSO
Good traditional sound.  Stewart Beach, WRHC
Great!  Larry is very popular in this area, and the listeners have loved this one.  Kristofer Losh, WKDW
Knock out piece!  Steve Winters, WSHU/WSUF
A wonderful job and a great song.  Bo McCarty, WSIP
Even though I like this entire CD a lot, it will only get occasional airplay...I  play only 10% gospel. Roy Moore, WQFS
How can one go wrong with Larry.  Great band, great sound.  Steve Pritchard, CKLN
Very good sounding and traditional!  George Fair, HPR
Good response from listeners.  Would like more of his material.  Verlin Sanders, WMMT/WNVA
Excellent, as always from Larry Stephenson.  Larry Royce, The Word FM
Bravo, Larry.  Great gospel rendition!  Bill Knowlton, WCNY/WUNY/WJNY
Very good number.  Haven given airplay time already.  Jim Taylor, WNOI
Great song.  Good message in song.  Dorsey Hostetter, WLUR
Best cut on a good album.  John Roten, WMXF/WPEK
As fine a gospel song as anything I'm currently playing.  Ray Hicks, KTTR

Life Stories 2007 Tour, Bluegrass CD & Radio Chatter

	# 4 Larry Stephenson's - Life Stories on XM Satellite Radio's Bluegrass Junction Top 40 *
	"Larry Stephenson - a top bluegrass act - has a fantastic CD project out called Life Stories! Larry is a wonderful vocal and songwriting talent - amazing performer - and never lets his fans down with what he produces!! When Larry sings, you KNOW its Larry and its dynamite! Stephenson is GREAT!" -Gracie Muldoon, Muldoon in the Afternoon - WWB
	"Larry Stephenson has always had a penchant for telling a great story -and tell them he does on his new project. His voice, his delivery, his style are tailor made for these kinds of sings. I was especially awe-stricken by "Behind Those Big Closed Doors," "The Knoxville Boy," "Veil of White Lace," "Iron Mountain Line" and, of course, the thought provoking "Baby Shoes." -Dave Higgs, Nashville Public Radio
	"The impact of his [Larry Stephenson's] latest project will take your breath away. If you love the sound of traditional bluegrass music, then this is the CD for you... This project really got my request line in overdrive. While playing the entire CD, my phone was constantly ringing." -Al Shusterman, KCBL Radio

More Industry Quotes....

"I read with interest the article about your work with the Cancer Center. Thank you so much for taking the time from your busy schedule to help others. Cancer and other health issues affect the lives of so many people. I think those who take the time to be a blessing to others, will themselves be blessed. I appreciate knowing you and other artists who use their God given talent to help others. You have been a huge help with the MACC festival. I look forward to seeing you this summer if not before."

Thanks! John Tewell "J.T." M.A.C.C. Festival Promoter: Darrel Adkins

"Hi everyone---Bobby Osborne here with a few lines about Larry.

First of all let me say he is one of my best friends. l got to know him many years ago through Osborne Brothers recordings and seeing him at shows we played close by, when he would on occasions come to see us. I'm glad that he made up his mind to come into the world of Bluegrass. Since then, he has made quiet a name for himself and collected numerous awards to his credit and is still going strong. it's a great honor to have been asked to say a few words on his behalf. Go see him when you can, he always does a good performance that you will enjoy. He has done lots of good things for this great music we call Bluegrass.
Oh l almost forgot, one more good thing he is doing for bluegrass----he is playing a Bobby Osborne Mandolin. l couldn't ask for anything better than that."
Thanks
Bobby Osborne
The Osborne Brothers, Nashville, TN

"Larry Stephenson is one of the most talented and professional artists I know, on any label. He always quarantines the fans a great show, is there at the sales table to meet and talk with his fans. He's one of the best selling artists on our label, and takes every opportunity to promote himself, the band, the label and bluegrass music. Perhaps the best proof of his talent and professionalism is the fact that he has been on one label for his entire recording career, and the number of festivals that invite him back year after year! His new album will soon be available on Pinecastle, and the entire Pinecastle family congratulate The Larry Stephenson Band on 15 years of great music!"

Tom Riggs
Pinecastle Records, Orlando, FL

"Larry Stephenson can only be described as one of the most professional entertainers in any music genre. His musicianship and vocals have given him the opportunity to succeed and I wish him the utmost respect and continuance. I have had the Larry Stephenson Band on our Bluegrass Cruises for the past 7 years and hope to be able to continue including them for years to come."

Steve Wallach, President
ETA Annual Bluegrass Music Cruise

"It was a pleasure watching Larry and the band perform up close. I think the thing I liked the most was the way Larry tried to included the amateurs during the jam sessions. He created an atmosphere that he really wanted to play with them and not that they were there to play along with Larry Stephenson. In addition to all of his talent, that ability to make a lesser skilled player feel welcome and important to the jam session is what sets him above so many of the performers that are technically skilled but are only interested in someone telling them how wonderful they are. Larry is an exceptional performer and the bluegrass community is lucky to have him.

All of us here in Lumberton are looking forward to the April concert. I hope you have a very successful 2005."

Bill Tubbs

LRRBA Director

Are you in the voting mood? - If so and you're an avid listener and IBMA member, remember to place your votes for this great band and latest project "

QUOTES POSTING OFTEN!