LARRY STEPHENSON – 20th Anniversary (ONE SHEET Info) Honing his God-given talents, LARRY STEPHENSON began professionally with Bill Harrell & The Virginians during January, 1979, playing mandolin and singing high lead and tenor. In June, 1983, he moved to a similar role as a member of The Bluegrass Cardinals, remaining until October, 1988, when he organized THE LARRY STEPHENSON BAND while still residing in Virginia in February 1989. In February 1989 LARRY STEPHENSON BAND had his first band rehearsal in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina and that March they played their first date in Fredricksburg, Virginia with special guest banjo legend BILL EMERSON. Today 20 years later, LARRY STEPHENSON, who has one of the finest tenor vocalists in Bluegrass today, remains one of the comparatively few headline artists whose solidly tradition-based, contemporary interpretations of the music have kept his recordings on the cutting edge of bluegrass charts, while gaining the respect along the way of first generation legends such as, Jimmy Martin, Mac Wiseman, Jim & Jesse, The Osborne Brothers and others. Year 2009 brings the 20th Anniversary of LARRY STEPHENSON’S rise to the top of the Bluegrass music community and is the name of his new album appropriately titled “20th Anniversary”. Larry has called on some of his very special friends in the Bluegrass and Country community to perform on this very special new album which includes chart toppers Daily & Vincent who are featured on the first single “Give This Message To Your Heart”. Other album highlights include guest performances by Ricky Skaggs on the classic Bill Monroe song “My Old Kentucky And You”; Del McCoury on “Have You Come To Say Goodbye”; Marty Stuart & Connie Smith on “Talk To Me Lonesome Heart” and twin banjos with Sonny Osborne and Ronnie Reno on “Me And My Old Banjo”. The new album “20th Anniversary” contains newly recorded material that celebrates a 20 year benchmark of LARRY STEPHENSON’S highly successful career since 1989. Joining him in this celebration are many of Larry’s important mentors, friends and musical influences and they have truly helped Larry make this new album a very special Bluegrass album event…Here’s to the next 20 years