User:Am LaFrance/sandbox

Larry Gayao (born September 23rd), better known as Larry g(EE) is a Filipino-American soul-pop artist from Dallas, Texas. He began his career as the lead singer for the Dallas-area rock band Odis, named after the famed soul singer Otis Redding. The “d” instead of the “t” was used to pay homage to their hometown.

After 5 years of performing with Odis in 2010, during a short stint in Brooklyn, New York, Gayao realized that the rock genre was not the direction that he wanted to follow. He could not ignore his yearning to sing soul music. Soon after, he parted ways with the band to pursue a solo singing career. Larry has always been very vocal about his affinity for soul music. He was quoted as saying, “bring it back…funk and a groove. Being on stage is the ultimate for me.”

To further solidify his new musical identity, His brother suggested changing the spelling of his name. This change ultimately gave birth to Larry g(EE). Larry g(EE) burst into the National spotlight after winning a nationwide user voted competition known as Ourstage.com, which in turn gave him an opportunity to perform in Los Angeles as a featured artist on the Jimmy Kimmel show December 11, 2013.

Career

2005-2010: Odis

Their first big break followed during a local performance, where they grasped the attention of the producers for a local Dallas radio segment, The Lex and Terry Radio show. This opportunity paved the way for the band’s numerous local performances such as the 102.1 KDGE’s Edgefest, which also boasts artists such as Beck, Kongos and Bastille. Terry Jaymes of KDGE said, “It was very cool to see their audience grow from 100 to 1000 people”. The band consisted of four members: Larry Gayao (vocals), Rob Bastien (guitar), Bristen Phillips (bass) and Mike Peters (drums).Odis debuted their first song titled “Feel” during an album release performance at the House of Blues in Dallas, to a sold out crowd in 2008. The group was selected as Quick DFW’s Big Albums of 2008 and also graced the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s list of the Top 20 Albums of 2008. The group disbanded in 2010.

2010 – Present: Larry g(EE)

After leaving the rock group to pursue a solo soul-pop career, Larry needed to distinguish himself from other successful and popular acts on the music scene. He naturally gravitated towards the pseudonym Larry G, but found that the name was too close for comfort to another talented and established musical artist, saxophone player Kenny G. With the help of his brother Chester, another pseudo name took shape by simply stylizing the first initial of his last name and adding two capital “E’s” in parenthesis. The name and identity Larry g(EE) was born. He released the Weekends EP, a sultry soul-pop album comprised of four songs in 2011. In June 2014, g(EE) signed a publishing deal with Primary Wave Music, an independent music company based in New York City, known for its high-caliber publishing and music management talent. With the help of legendary producers such as Dennis Herring and Chris Seefried, He is currently working on material for his next album. G(EE) joins the roster of many high profile artists collaborating with Herring such as: Bruno Mars, Elvis Costello, Buddy Guy, Modest Mouse, Leonard Cohen, The Hives, Mikky Ekko, Wavves, Ra Ra Riot and Twin Shadow.

Performances

After winning the highly publicized nationwide talent contest on Ourstage.com, g(EE) was invited to perform for over 30 dates scheduled during the Vans Warped Tour July 6-31, 2012. The following year in December 2013, he performed his smash hit “YoMama” during the Jimmy Kimmel show. G(EE) has gone on to perform at many high profile venues such as SXSW Interactive, Summerfest, Center Of The Universe Music Festival, MusicFest NW, Suburbia Music Festival and various Red Bull showcases.  Musical Influences

Like most successful soul-pop artists of this day, g(EE)’s influences are deeply rooted in the 1960’s-era classic soul acts. Artists such as Curtis Mayfield, Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown and Joe Cocker have tremendously induced his rich soulful voice and timeless lyrics associated with his style. However, g(EE) also draws inspiration from his modern-day musical peers as well. From Gnarls Barkley to Allen Stone, each artist’s contribution to music has helped solidify the definition of his musical identity.

Media "This man has a great voice and one hell of a presence." - S.O.B'sU (NY) "The track should be played at high volumes, and preferably with wide open spaces to get funky like a fool." - Sean, The Wounded Jukebox "Larry g(EE) delivers a finger-licking portion of enlivened soul music." - Pegasus News "...It's like wearing a high-end designer suit to the grimiest nightclub you can find." - DFW.Com “A vintage yet thoroughly modern, big-band brand of R&B that readily appeals to all ages. He is a singer-songwriter with a soulful heart.” - Dallas Morning News “I don’t care if you ignore everything else that comes out of my mouth today, stop what you’re doing and give this a spin.” - Culture Brats “… If Bruno Mars had the Western influence only a life in Texas could give him, he would be somewhat close to the caliber of awesome that Larry g(EE) lays to tape.” - Under the Gun Review “ …Soaking up the spotlight with high-energy appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and at famed Texas festivals like South By Southwest and Austin City Limits. Couple with a recent GQ Magazine nod for his sartorial style, the soul singer-songwriter is undeniably hot right now.” - DFW Style Daily

Discography

Weekends EP Track Listing – 2011

“YoMama”	         (3:21)

“I’m Your Fool”	 (3:04)

“Camera Phone”	 (2:53)

“Game”	         (3.44)

- EDIT BELOW THIS LINE -->