Larry Norman, 1947 - 2008

For Christians of a ‘certain age’ Larry Norman was who we grew up with. His 1972 album ‘Only Visiting This Planet’ was voted the best Christian album ever recorded, by the American Christian music industry. It was my own introduction to Larry Norman’s music, and I agree.

In 1972, I had only recently found my Christian faith, and to be ‘baptised’ into Christian rock and roll with such classics as ‘Why Should the Devil have all the Good Music’ and 'I Wish We’d All Been Ready’ was no bad thing. Larry Norman led the way in the Jesus People revolution of the 1970’s and his ‘one way’ finger in the air became the signature of a generation. A whole raft of successful Christian artists followed in his wake, many of them signed to Larry Norman’s own record label ‘Solid Rock’.

He had been ill for some years and knew he was dying. In his own inimitable way, he signed off with some final lyrics:

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.