August 20: Keyboardist, lead guitarist for Bread, session musician Larry Knechtel died on this day in 2009...

... from an undiagnosed heart condition. he was 69 years old.

 

Beginning in 1959, he spent four years with Duane Eddy's touring group, The Rebels. Larry continued to work with Duane in the recording studio, and became a Hollywood session regular. Larry has performed and recorded with a broad range of artists, including The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, Duane Eddy, Fats Domino, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkel, The 5th Dimension, Dolly Parton, Steppenwolf, The Doors, The Byrds, The Mammas and Pappas, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Jr., David Gates, Neil Diamond, Dave Mason, Harry Nilsson, Poco, Johnny Rivers, Tim Weisberg, and Randy Newman. He also played piano for Phil Spector, helping to create the famous "Wall of Sound." Late in his career, he toured with the Dixie Chicks.

• His most famous piano work is his 1971 Grammy Award winning contribution to "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel.
• He also played the harmonica and the electric bass guitar, which can be heard on The Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man."
• In 1971, he joined Bread, where his many contributions include the memorable guitar solo on the hit single "The Guitar Man."

-- "The Guitar Man" (Bread- Larry on lead guitar)

-- Larry Knechtel Memorial

--Tribute to Larry Knechtel