On Sunday without question one of the pioneers of Christian music (and most definitely the most influential for a more cutting edge approach to using the music of the streets to reach out to people) - Larry Norman died of heart failure. He had been battling heart problems for many years now (at least the last 15 years now) and from what I can tell died peacefully with his loved ones surrounding him at his home in Oregon.

Larry was a character! He was creative. He was passionate. He was ornery. He was opinionated. He was fascinating. He was accessible. He was frustrating. He was angry at the church. He loved the church. He was a prophet. He was a poet. He was a sinner and he was a saint.

He is no doubt at peace now, in another land.

You either loved or hated Larry’s music. I am in the former camp. It had a very human element to it. I felt like at times the music definitely related to me. There was a humanness and a earthiness to his tunes that definitely spoke of experience and wisdom that pierced to my soul. Larry also was influential in helping a good number of artists that share that same spirit of making Scripture and Godly truth accessible and pertinent in the best sense of the Word. An ability to bring human emotion, duality, struggle and everyday hassles into the mix with becoming more like Jesus. Thanks in part to Larry’s direct influence Randy Stonehill, Mark Heard, Steve Scott, Malcom and Alwyn, and Daniel Amos to name just a few continue Larry’s legacy - but it is not a stretch to say that much of the prophetic and good that is in Christian music (it’s dwindling I know) is also a direct influence of the likes of Larry Norman.

Now Larry truly knows (in a literal way), a “friend of mine, came and took me by the hand, and led me to a kingdom in another land. Well wowie, zowie the Cat’s got soul; He’s the rock that doesn’t roll!”

RIP Larry (April 8, 1947 - February 24, 2008)