Joel Larson

Joel Larson (born April 29, 1947) is an American rock drummer and percussionist who is known as a founding member of The Merry-Go-Round and for being associated with the Turtles and the Grass Roots.

Early life
He lived near Lincoln Park until he was 12 years old. He took up drumming at the age of 12 and moved near Avalon Park until he was 17. During these five years he honed his skills in the rock music scene of the early 1960s. He later joined the Grass Roots.

The Bedouins
In 1965, Larson joined a band called the Bedouins and helped them win a Battle of the Bands in San Mateo. In late 1965, they were asked to audition at the San Francisco Whisky A Go Go. They performed for nightclub owner Elmer Valentine and Lou Adler, who was the head of the new label Dunhill Records in Los Angeles. They were selected to become the Grass Roots, a new folk rock group created by Adler and producer/songwriters P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri.

The Grass Roots
The original Grass Roots were Denny Ellis on rhythm guitar, Willie Fulton on vocals and lead guitar, Larson on drums and Dave Stensen on bass. They moved to Los Angeles, where they took part in recording sessions and played live. They were one of the first house bands for The Trip on the Sunset Strip. All of the Grass Roots were under the age of 18 so their parents had to sign their contracts with Dunhill Records.

They performed as the back-up band for the Mamas & the Papas and Johnny Rivers, appeared on the first color broadcast of The Ed Sullivan Show, and performed with Barry McGuire in support of his number one hit "Eve of Destruction".

The group decided it wanted to have more creative input into its songs, but Dunhill Records did not want to vary from its established formula. The group minus Larson returned to San Francisco and continued to perform until Dunhill decided to replace them. Larson was offered to continue with new group members but decided to take an opportunity to play with Gene Clark of the Byrds.

The Merry-Go-Round and others
Larson then met Emitt Rhodes and formed The Merry-Go-Round in early 1967. The Merry-Go-Round performed at both days of the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival in 1967.

Larson also played with the Turtles in the late 60s. Starting in 1970, he played with Lee Michaels and helped produce his radio hit "Do You Know What I Mean".

Rejoining the Grass Roots
In 1971, Larson rejoined the Grass Roots and played with them through the end of their heyday in 1975. He toured nationwide with the group in support of Their 16 Greatest Hits, Move Along, Alotta' Mileage and The Grass Roots (Haven Records) albums and associated singles. He also recorded with the group in the studio when returning from the road. From 1976 on, he continued to tour in support of the group's last greatest hits album, The ABC Collection, until the early 1980s.

Later work
In the new wave era, Larson worked as a dance night promoter in Los Angeles with live radio broadcasts. He then entered into property management and real estate investment, while continuing as a musician in Los Angeles playing with members of the Buckinghams and Paul Revere & the Raiders.

In 2000, he started working as a driver and transportation coordinator in the movie and TV industry. His credits include Mission: Impossible III (2006), The Bucket List (2007), Iron Man (2008), I Love You, Man (2009), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011) and The Avengers (2012). In television, he has worked for multiple years on the Chuck Lorre hit shows Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly and Mom. Larson continues as a musician, playing live with other musicians in the Los Angeles area.

Revisiting classic music groups
In 2009, Larson played and recorded with the Merry-Go-Round co-founder and solo artist Emitt Rhodes and Counting Crows co-founder Matt Malley. In 2010, he took part in the US premiere screening of the film Emitt Rhodes – The One Man Beatles at a Rhino Records pop-up store in Westwood, California.

In 2011, former Gene Clark Group members Chip Douglas, Bill Rinehart and Larson took part in the High Moon Records label launch party at the Roxy in Los Angeles. They celebrated the release of Gene Clark's "Two Sides To Every Story" and Love's "Black Beauty".

In 2014, Larson participated with a panel of music celebrities including Henry Diltz, Danny Hutton, Micky Dolenz and Gail Zappa at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, discussing the new exhibition California Dreamin', The Sounds of Laurel Canyon 1965 - 1977.

Singles
(All singles are with The Grass Roots except as noted)

Albums
(All albums are with The Grass Roots except as noted)