The Larry Manke Band

This is the story of a band that combined a taste of the Bakersfield sound with a folksy-bluegrass, The Larry Manke Band. Huge fans of Clarence White, Gram Parsons, Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. The band was put together in late 1980 in Santa Monica, California. The organizer was Larry Manke, whom also owned the recording studio where they recorded and Larry played base, sang, wrote many of the songs and did some guitar work. The Larry Manke song that stood out the most was "39 Takes" a sort of funny look at recording in the studio there. Larry had a great voice for and sense for harmonizing. Larry lived in the garage behind his parent’s house in Santa Monica. Larry was a really good at getting girl friends and was always out on the prowl.

Larry went on to record and tour with the popular LA punk band "The Last": The Last are not necessarily the least. In fact, the band (or fragments thereof) has been floating around since 1976, writing songs, recruiting members and living in an abandoned church with members of punk bands- Black Flag and Red Cross. What else can be done with sociopath, potentially homicidal tendencies? The first Last album was cut in 1979 and the band spent 1980 near the top of the Los Angeles club scene. Unfortunately, after fluttering around L.A. with less motivation than a senile moth for five years the Last flew to a halt in 1985, leaving in its wake six drummers, three keyboardists, two dead bass players and 180 unusable amps. The Last had staying power, however, and found a home on SST Records. Band members are Joe Nolte, Mike Nolte, Luke Lohnes, Dave Nazworthy, and Larry Manke. (1988). Larry went into the movie business after he left “The Last” and has worked on many big films including “Monster’s Ball”.

Dana Walker had a wonderful voice that was both country and California at the same time, just a hint of Bakersfield aggressive twang. Most female bluegrass singers will make you barf, but Dana had a taste of Emmylou Harris but with a sweeter edge. She was had this beautiful long, light brown, hair that set her apart from anyone else in bluegrass at the time. Later the band had a short reunion but the hair had been cut short. Danna sang lead, Harmony vocals, played guitar and mandolin. Dana lived with her family in a nice home above the 405 freeway in the Sepulveda pass. After the Larry Manke Band, Dana played in a duo with Tammy Javorsek, the wife of the owner of the Blue Ridge Picking Parlor, Frank (the mandolin player from “Hot Off The Press” Bill Knopf on Banjo, Carol Yearwood on Base, Howard Yearwood on Guitar and Frank Javorsek on mandolin; with Hot off the Press and Friends, American Heritage AH-401-524.) Dana then moved to LA and who knows?

The Blue Ridge Pickin' Parlor was started by Ken and Margo Tennesen in 1976. The music store was then located in Tarzana, California. Even from the beginning the Pickin' Parlor played host to some of the greats like Bill Monroe and The Country Gentlemen. After their five year run Ken decided to take retirement seriously and sold the store to his new son-in-law and daughter Frank and Tammy Javorsek. In 1980 Frank and Tammy relocated the Pickin' Parlor to Canoga Park, California where they spent the next twenty years molding The Blue Ridge Pickin' Parlor into the Bluegrass icon it is today. The turn of the new millennium brought in the current owners Ric and Alicia Griffith (still in the same family in case your keeping track-Alicia is Tammy's little sister). Ric and Alicia found the current home for the Pickin' Parlor in Old Granada Hills, California. The new location is more than twice the size of the old one hosting monthly Jams, concerts, workshops, retail sales, and music lessons for more than three hundred students a week.

Ray Harwood played both guitar and banjo for the Larry Manke Band; Richard Baily Band, Quicksand and Itchy Brothers. Ray had been in several similar bands before meeting Larry. Ray’s banjo style was not the advanced melodic bluegrass of Alan Monday or Pat Cloud, but sort of a crude version of Jerry Garcia, but it was effective for this style music. Ray had played at most of the California banjo& fiddle contests and had place in the top 3 in the intermediate level several times including Topanga. Ray also did some guitar and sang on a few of the tunes. Ray went on to play with “Virgil Graves and the Graves Diggers” in Palmdale, Virgil later recorded a record for Gib Guilbeau’s label of the Flying Burrito Brothers. Ray was often at the Buskers’ Music Jam Sessions in Bakersfield, and nothing much after that. Ray moved around a lot Palmdale, Bakersfield, Modoc, Kentucky, Minnesota, Georgia and so on.

Steve Sutton was the lead guitar picker and had a unique flat-pick style, sort of a cross between Clarence White and Buck Owens. Steve’s vocals were a gritty Arizona accent and a complimentary guitar technique that made his sound quite unique and down home. Quite wonderful, Doc Watson would have said “SHOW CAN PICK”! Steve learned to pick on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona where he developed his style and licks. When he moved to Santa Monica with his dad he met Dana’s brother and Larry, they jammed quite often and then Dana’s brother moved away and Dana took over his [place and they met Ray while hanging out at McCabe’s guitar shop in Santa Monica. McCabe's is a musical instrument store in Santa Monica, California, opened in 1958. They specialize in acoustic and folk instruments: guitars, banjos, mandolins, dulcimers (both hammered and plucked), fiddles, psalteries, bouzoukis, sitars, ouds, ethnic percussion ... you get the idea. McCabe’s is a historical institution and world famous for its’ concerts, lessons and instruments. McCabe’s is at:101 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 828-4497. Home page for McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California, quite possibly the best guitar shop of all is: www.mccabes.com/ And after some time playing together Dana wanted Ray out of the band, she speculated that a hot banjo picker from the “Blue Ridge Picking Parlor” click would put the band into the professional circuit. This caused some internal dysfunction and Steve left the band for the Coast Guard where he worked his way to Commander and was one of the only heroes of Hurricane Katrina.

Larry is a color video person now. However, he has a hidden musical side. Growing up in Santa Monica, he was huge Gram Parson's fan. He played for several small music groups, not exclusively with a country band with Steve Sutton, Dana Walker and Ray Harwood doing Gram Parsons and Clarence White covers. They recorded and played around Venice Beach. Dana got into bluegrass, Ray moved to Bakersfield, Steve joined the Coast Guard and became a commander, and Larry toured and recorded with a successful punk band called “The Last"CBGB'S — 315 Bowery — SST — The Last: The Last are not necessarily the least. In fact, the band (or fragments thereof) has been floating around since 1976, writing songs, recruiting members and living in an abandoned church with members of Black Flag and Red Cross. What else can be done with sociopathic, potentially homicidal tendencies? The first Last album was cut in 1979 and the band spent 1980 near the top of the Los Angeles club scene. Unfortunately, after fluttering around L.A. with less motivation than a senile moth for five years the Last flew to a halt in 1985, leaving in its wake six drummers, three keyboardists, two dead bass players and 180 unusable amps. The Last had staying power, however, and found a home on SST Records. Bandmembers are Joe Nolte, Mike Nolte, Luke Lohnes, Dave Nazworthy, and Larry Manke. (1988)