| |
Larry Dalton
Back
Larry Dalton, one of the Messiah Project's closest friends and a pillar to the ministry, passed away suddenly on May 30th, 2009. His passing is a great loss to the body of Christ here on this earth but as we all know Larry is rejoicing in the presence of our Lord and participating in the finest worship in the universe. The following tribute was authored by Sharon Wilkins:
My recollection of Larry is that he is one of the most talented people I have ever known. His musical talents are well-known and documented by his recordings and world-wide associations, but his gifts went well beyond music. He was also a talented story teller. He had a related story for every situation. He was hilarious! His humor could lighten up the most somber occasion. He was a ruthless Rook player—we made interesting opponents, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. Neither of us would quit as a loser. He was a great defender of the hymns and cherished the best of the contemporary music. He was a gifted conversationalist….he could talk authoritatively about any subject to anyone. Talking politics and sharing political emails were a must for us. Most of all, he had a way of making everyone around him feel important. Most of his friends probably refer to him as one of their best friends. He made each of us feel that way. We did many concerts together in Missouri, Europe and Asia. I have a plastic bag of fried caterpillars in my curio case that he left on my pillow in China. I purposely ate in a Western restaurant instead of enduring the Oriental delicacies, and he thought I needed a reminder of where I was before I went to sleep that night. My many memories of our shared experiences in ministry, in music and in all his crazy antics could fill a book. His faith was solid, his testimony was unwavering, his love for the Lord uncompromising and his love for life, unquestionable! I miss my dear friend already. I am so glad to know with assurance that he is not gone, he has just gone ahead of the rest of us to our ultimate home. We continue in this life with that great hope.
Sharon Wilkins
 Larry Dalton is a
world-class musician—pianist, arranger, and composer--whose roots go back to
revival meetings in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Since his humble beginnings
playing piano for his father’s church services, he has gone on to entertain and
inspire literally millions around the globe, from presidents to Pope John Paul
II. His artistry has blessed immeasurably.
An extraordinarily gifted young man, Larry
Dalton is one of the virtuoso pianists of our day. He began playing piano
at the age of three, and by age sixteen, he was writing music. His keyboard
abilities have taken him around the globe, with performances with the BBC Radio
in Oxford, England; Western Australia Symphony in Perth; Oklahoma Sinfonia in
Tulsa; and international Maifestspiele in Wiesbaden, Germany. His performances
also include appearances with Billy Graham in South Africa, Pope John Paul II,
Robert Schuller, Pat Robertson, Lloyd Ogilvie, and David Mainse.
Also an accomplished arranger and composer, Mr.
Dalton's arrangements have accompanied many singers, including Carol Lawrence,
Steve Perry, Tim Miner, Al Green, Vicki Wynans, Kim Boyce, and Richard Roberts.
His orchestral piano work includes the Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Tulsa Philharmonic
Pops, Brady Theatre Orchestra, and past shows with Mel Torme and Peter Nero,
Henry Mancini, Four Lads, Chet Atkins, Judy Collins, the Lettermen, and Lionel
Hampton.
In 1992, Mr. Dalton, who records regularly with
the National Philharmonic Orchestra of London, was awarded the exceptional honor
of being named a Steinway artist. His current releases with Integrity Music
include Praise Magnificat; Glorious Praise Magnificat; and In Excelsis
Deo. The video In Excelsis Deo was nominated for the Dove Award in
1994, and the video Glorious Praise won the Angel Award in 1993. His most
recent projects are El Shaddai, with violinist Maurice Sklar; Classic
Christmas Brass, with the National Philharmonic Brass of London; and
Sing, O Israel, with Ben and Vera Karlsson and the National
Philharmonic Orchestra of London. His latest releases are Instruments of
Peace and As Time Goes By.
|
|
