Farewell to KPFK ‘FolkScene’ host Howard Larman
Wife Roz, son Allen carrying on Larman family legacy
04/26/2007
It's a chill, rainy Sunday night, and I find myself contemplating the quality of generosity. The prompt for these ruminations was one of those phone calls most of us dread receiving: The news that a respected colleague has died. The unexpectedly departed friend was Howard Larman, the beloved co-host (with his wife Roz) of “FolkScene,” the program the Larmans launched in 1970 that has since become a public radio institution.
Howard and Roz were injured in a car accident last June after recording one of their shows; health complications subsequently arose for Howard and, as Roz put it in a brief online post, “it was just one thing after another.” His death is sending shock waves through the folk community. Response on cyber discussion boards has been swift, with expressions of stunned loss and sympathy pouring in from across the country for Roz and the Larmans' children — including son Allen, who hosts his own radio show, “Red Hot,” Sunday afternoons on KCSN (88.5 FM).
Howard wasn't just a nice guy who liked to spin his favorite tunes. He had discerning taste. He knew how to express criticism that was candid yet constructive; one of his most refreshing qualities was his eminent civility. He was a deceptively skilled and perceptive interviewer. With a low, quietly resonant voice and respectful demeanor, he radiated an aura of calm that, coupled with his gentle humor.
He was also a treasure trove of frequently hilarious stories about encounters he'd had with innumerable cult heroes, club owners, local characters, obscure sidemen and folk, blues and rock legends, and a reliable source of information about folk and LA music history. Personally, I've reached out several times for assistance while doing research, and each time Howard and Roz responded warmly with detailed anecdotes, names and numbers, or readily referred me to others if they didn't have the desired information. I know of many other musicians, writers and music consultants to whom they've extended similar generosity.
Howard and Roz were bucking trends when they started “FolkScene”; the grassroots music community was vibrant, but pop had moved toward more psychedelic directions. They've since become an integral hub in LA's cultural community, and instantly recognizable fixtures at the national Folk Alliance conference and at festivals and concerts statewide. In music circles, their names spill out in conversation like one tightly knit unit: “HowardandRoz.” Virtually inseparable — they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary — they are widely beloved for staunchly championing the independent artists and music they admire despite changing whims of an increasingly corporate culture.
That passionate support was reciprocated most publicly after KPFK abruptly canceled “FolkScene” in October 2000, following a dispute over a controversial work-for-hire contract the Larmans refused to sign. If the SRO audience that squeezed into the Troubadour Nov. 28 that year didn't speak loudly enough to the loyalty the Larmans command, the parade of artists who volunteered to play that benefit to help defray their legal expenses certainly did: Jackson Browne, Dave Alvin, Peter Case, Lowen & Navarro, John McEuen, Steve Young, Jim Lauderdale, Van Dyke Parks, Katy Moffatt, Judy Henske and Craig Doerge, Dan Crary, Joel Raphael, Jennifer Warnes and emcee Harry Shearer. The Larmans kept “FolkScene” alive, streaming it over the Internet, in addition to broadcasting it on stations in Boston, Virginia and New Zealand. Eventually it returned to KPFK (90.7 FM), where it airs Sunday nights.
The blend of singer-songwriters, traditional British folk, Celtic and American roots music aired on “FolkScene” has come to represent a standard of excellence. For musicians, having their music spun on the show is sweet, but being invited to be an on-air guest is a genuine honor. I've been told this by numerous artists who've played on the show. And after decades, the list of “FolkScene” guests is massive. Some of the best performances can be heard on Volumes I, II and III of “The FolkScene Collection” — three CDs released by Red House Records between 1998 and 2001. The performances, all culled from the radio show's archives, are given by the likes of Alvin, Browne, Case, Bruce Cockburn, Guy Davis, Iris DeMent, Eliza Gilkyson, Vince Gill, Nanci Griffith, Chris Hillman, David Lindley, Loreena McKennitt, Tom Russell, Tom Waits, Dar Williams and Lucinda Williams.
It's surreal to imagine “FolkScene” minus Howard's friendly greetings. But the music has not been silenced. It's a measure of the Larmans' devotion to music and the community — and of Roz and Allen's personal fortitude — that they went ahead with their regular shows despite their grief. Allen says it's what Howard would have wanted. Roz has announced she's taking on interviewing duties, and “FolkScene” will continue with assistance from Allen and longtime engineer Peter Cutler.
That news is heartening — and not simply because they support quality music. Howard's death is an enormous blow to our community, but the loss goes far deeper than that. Howard was a valuable human being whose substantial contributions to music were an honest expression of a greater belief in extending an open hand to others. That's a meaningful legacy for anyone to leave behind.
Rest in peace, Howard.
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