Larry "T" Thurston is an American

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

, R&B, and

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

singer, who sang as the lead vocalist for Matt Murphy's band and the Blues Brothers.

Career

Thurston's musical career began in the early 1980s with St Louis's Soulard Blues Band. His next band was the Blues City Band, followed by The Sounds of The City, which also featured Johnnie Johnson, a collaborator of

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

, and the bassist Gus Thornton. Eventually Thurston began working outside St Louis, performing with

James Cotton James Henry Cotton (July 1, 1935 – March 16, 2017) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who performed and recorded with many fellow blues artists and with his own band. He also played drums early in his career. ...

and Matt Murphy. After

John Belushi John Adam Belushi ( ; January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an American comedian, actor, singer and musician. He was one of seven ''Saturday Night Live'' cast members of the first season. He was arguably the most popular member of the ''Satur ...

died from a

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...

and

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

overdose in 1982, Blues Brothers guitarist

Matt "Guitar" Murphy Matthew Tyler Murphy (December 29, 1929 – June 15, 2018), known as Matt "Guitar" Murphy, was an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. He was associated with Memphis Slim, The Blues Brothers and Howlin' Wolf. In 2012, Murphy was electe ...

started his own band, with Larry Thurston as lead singer. When the Blues Brothers reunited in 1988, Thurston was chosen to take Belushi's place as lead singer, alongside soul/R&B artists such as

Sam Moore Samuel David Moore (October 12, 1935 – January 10, 2025) was an American singer who was best known as a member of the soul and R&B duo Sam & Dave from 1961 to 1981. He was a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame (f ...

and

Eddie Floyd Eddie Lee Floyd (born June 25, 1937) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter, best known for his work on the Stax record label in the 1960s and 1970s, including the No. 1 R&B hit song " Knock on Wood". Early life and education Floy ...

. The band started going on world tours, creating the albums ''

The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux ''The Blues Brothers Band Live in Montreux'' is an album by The Blues Brothers band. It was released in 1990 on the heels of the band's reunion tour and it was the first album recorded by the band after the death of founding member John Belus ...

'' and '' Red, White & Blues'' in the process. In 1994, Thurston left the Blues Brothers and was replaced by Tommy "Pipes" McDonnell. He finished college, began working a regular job, and became an associate minister at his church, later founding the New Covenant Christian Church, where he became a pastor. Songwriter Jeff Alexander saw Thurston performing with Johnnie Johnson at Off Broadway in St Louis. In 2001 Alexander began recording ''School For Fools'' and asked Thurston to participate. Levon Helm joined on drums, and Johnnie Johnson played piano on two songs. ''School For Fools'' became Thurston's first and only solo album. In 2004 Alexander was producing ''Johnnie Be Eighty. And Still Bad!'', a Johnnie Johnson project. Johnson was unable to sing his best, and Alexander asked Thurston to provide vocals on five of the tracks.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thurston, Larry Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American rhythm and blues singers American male singers The Blues Brothers members St. Louis blues musicians