"Brother"? Larry Graham of Sly And The Family Stone and Graham Central Station

by HappyDad 15 Replies latest social entertainment

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  HappyDad

  I heard a Sly And The Family Stone song a little while ago and out of curiosity, looked up Larry Graham....the innovator of the slappin and plunkin bass. He became a JW about 1975 and was the influence for Prince becoming a JW. On his official web page is the list of his tour dates this year. He is going to be in quite a lot of cities and overseas too. So I was just wondering how "faithful" he is these days. I had heard that he was an elder at one time, but he is spending a lot of time away from being controlled by the religion. Hmmmm....could he be one of the PIMO's (Permanently In Mentally Out)

  If he has woken up, I wish him the best.
  
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  LisaRose

  I heard "Brother Graham" give a talk once, back in the day, some time in the eighties. I don't remember much other than he was a fairly good speaker and he talked about how he studied with people he knew in the music business.
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  Tara N Seals

  Also, George Benson.

  Look at this, from Wikipedia.

  Personal lifeEdit

  Benson has been married to Johnnie Lee since 1965 and has seven children. Benson describes his music as focusing more on love and romance, and eschewing overt sexuality, due to his commitment to his family and religious practices, with Benson serving as a missionary for Jehovah's Witnesses.[26] Benson stated that he donated considerable funds to the religion's Watchtower Society. [27]
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  neat blue dog

  No, he's no PIMO. He had his experience in the magazines back in the '80s, and on his website he mentions his 'faith' and he also was interviewed at Prince's Kingdom Hall funeral. He's in it for life, not as a die hard or company man, but emotionally and culturally invested.
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  Magnum

  Graham seems to have been all in at first. JWdom was exciting then. The end of the world was imminent. JWs and JWdom were bold and confident. Then, well, you know. JWdom went lame and got boring. The excitment and confidence and boldness left. The "end" was pushed further away. Graham, at least somewhere in his mind, has to recognize that. He started missing the glory days.

  Now, he might still believe in the religion, but he wants to enjoy and get what he can out of "the world". He doesn't want to miss out.

  That's my opinion.
  
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  redpilltwice

  Larry sleeps, eats and breaths da funk. He's the godfather of the slapping bass technique. Excellent gifted musician who also happened to be a spiritual person looking for answers "provided" by the early 70's WT propaganda machine. He was lucky enough to be financially independent and to get a free card to tour the world and live the life of a JW celebrity.

  Most rank and file jw's wouldn't get away with a life of visiting different kh's/meetings around the globe while touring (sometimes sharing the stage with "worldly" music celebrities) and giving live performances and interviews at radio and tv.
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  _Morpheus

  Its the same with benson. I hated hearing he was comming, it sickened me a little to see the hypocrisy.... then came the day Larry brought prince, excuse me, brother howard, to the hall. I have never seen so many slobbering idiots in my life. And i like prince’s music. They are just as star struck as anyone else. They are only human.
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  sparky1

  

  Tight pants are a NO NO..............but a 'purple pimp suit' is proper Christian attire for Prince's funeral. Where was BIG MOUTH MORRIS in speaking out about this sartorial hypocrisy?
  
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  Dagney

  I'm pretty sure he's all in.

  A number of musicians have been able to have their careers and maintain their position. Two of the Crusaders were elders.

  Things are not always fair as regards how other less visible adherents are judged. It is what it is.
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  HappyDad

  Thank all for your comments. The bottom line is...........no matter what you do, if you have big $$$$$$$$$$$ you can pursue your career or stardom or whatever because you donate a portion of those big bucks.