Lari Goss (February 19, 1945 - January 10, 2015)
(Sometimes credited incorrectly as Larri or Larry.)
Biography
Lari Goss was a singer, producer, music publisher, church choral music arranger and songwriter.
He got his start in music when he was 10 years old singing at Center Road Baptist Church in Cartersville, Georgia with his parents and brothers. Over the next few years, the family group developed into the Goss Brothers featuring a 16-year-old Lari with his brothers Roni and James. The group signed a recording contract with Sing Records in 1962. In addition to recording, the brothers began to develop the craft of arranging music for other singers.
In 1965, Lari enlisted in the US Army. After serving honorably, he resumed performing and recording with the Goss Brothers. In 1968, Lari was ordained as a minister. Other groups began to take notice of Lari as a songwriter. The Speer Family recorded his song "Cornerstone" in 1977. As the 1970s drew to a close, Lari had no idea that his career was about to take a dramatic shift.
James Goss passed away in 1980. In the wake of their brother's death, Roni and Lari dissolved the Goss Brothers. Roni relocated to California to work in a ministry with Nancy Harmon while Lari began to devote more of his time to producing and arranging music for other artists. He relocated to Nashville, Tennessee where he eventually won his first Dove Award for his work on Phil Driscoll's 1983 album I Exalt Thee. This album was also nominated for a Grammy. If there was still any lingering doubts about his skill as a producer in Southern Gospel circles, Lari's arrangements and signature orchestrations on the 1985 Black And White album by the Singing Americans made artists take notice.
As a result of those successes in the early to mid-1980s, Lari was in constant demand in several facets of the music industry for the remainder of his life. What many Southern Gospel fans may not appreciate is the extent of his work in other areas of the industry. Lari produced recordings for artists ranging in style from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to Glen Campbell, and he arranged and conducted music for major televised events including the Grammy Awards and the People's Choice Awards.
Lari also produced a constant supply of church choral music over the years. Most of his earlier choral work was distributed by Prism Music while his later work was distributed by Word Music. Lari's total sales of church choral music (anthems, choral books and associated recorded product) exceed 2 million units.
In 2012, Lari Goss was honored by the Southern Gospel industry with the production of a DVD titled Lari Goss: The Man Behind The Music. Greater Vision, the Booth Brothers, Hoppers, Taranda Greene and many other artists who had benefited from his production work over the years took this opportunity to pay tribute to the impact he made on their careers.
Lari Goss passed away on January 10, 2015.
Awards
1996 Telly Award (Film Score).
SGMA Decade of the 90’s Piano Honor Roll award
2000 SGMA Arranger of the Year Award
2008 SGMG Choral Music Honoree
2008 James D. Vaughn Impact Award (SGMA)
2008 Commendation by the Legislature of the State of Tennessee in recognition of his accomplishments, both musical and philanthropic
2009 Gospel Music Hall of Fame
2012 SGMG Producer/Arranger of the Year
2016 Southern Gospel Music Association Hall Of Fame
Lari has also won a Grammy award and a total of 15 Dove Awards
Solo Discography
1987 20 Piano Hymns (Benson Records/2362): Sweet Hour Of Prayer; Just As I Am; I Need Thee Every Hour; Amazing Grace; Brethren We Have Met To Worship; Saviour Like A Shepherd Lead Us; My Jesus I Love Thee; Jesus Loves Me; Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus; May Jesus Christ Be Praised/Doxology; Softly And Tenderly; Blessed Assurance; Near To The Heart Of God; All Hail The Power; Shall We Gather At The River; When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder; It Is Well With My Soul; O Worship The King/O Come Let Us Adore Him.
hi-res
1988 40 Piano Hymns (Benson Records): For The Beauty Of The Earth; All Hail The Power; O Worship The King/O Come Let Us Adore Him; May Jesus Christ Be Praised/Doxology; Trust And Obey/Day By Day; Were You There/Near The Cross; Beneath The Cross Of Jesus; When I Survey The Wondrous Cross; Sweet Hour Of Prayer; Just As I Am; Blessed Assurance; Near To The Heart Of God; Faith Of Our Fathers; Like A River Glorious; Crown Him With Many Crowns/Bless The Lord O My Soul/Holy Holy Holy; Amazing Grace; My Jesus I Love Thee; Jesus Loves Me; Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus; Saviour Like A Shepherd Lead Us; Shall We Gather At The River; When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder; It Is Well With My Soul; Brethren We Have Met To Worship; Wounded For Me; Softly And Tenderly; He The Pearly Gates Will Open; In The Sweet By And By/Face To Face/I Am Bound For The Promised Land; Jesus Is All The World To Me/O How I Love Jesus; Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus; God Be With You.
hi-res
1989 Keyboard Praise (Benson Records/2514): Songs Of Praise Medley; Worship Suite Medley; Serenade For Spring; God's Faithfulness Medley; Dedication And Trust Medley; All My Love.
hi-res
1993 Finally, It's Christmas (Landmark Records): Hark The Herald Angels Sing; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; O Come, O Come Emmanuel; What Child Is This; Silent Night; Away In A Manger; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; Angels We Have Heard On High; While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks; O Come All Ye Faithful; The First Noel.
hi-res
2000 Turn To The Quiet (Impact Records): I Am Thine O Lord; A Mighty Fortress Is Our God; Fairest Lord Jesus; Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing; At The Cross; Old Rugged Cross; Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee; Precious Lord Take My Hand; Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven; I Stand Amazed; Beyond The Sunset; No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus.
2014 Forever Hymns (Custom Records): Tell Me The Story Of Jesus/I Love To Tell The Story; The Old Rugged Cross; I Must Tell Jesus; Cleanse Me (Search Me, O God); Near To The Heart Of God; The Love Of God; Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus/Trust And Obey/Only Trust Him; No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus; Great Is Thy Faithfulness; I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked; Where He Leads Me
Lari Goss Orchestra And Singers Discography
hi-res
1995 Right Here And Now (Benson Records): Right Here And Now; God Is Good; Complete In His Sight; We Wear His Name; The Soldiers Want To Go Home; Anything Can Happen; For What Earthly Reason; We Give You Thanks; The Healer Is Here; The Perfect Rose.
Songwriter's Résumé
(Partial List)
A Wonderful Change
Call Me Blessed
Can You See The Clock
Closer Home
Come See This Man
Coming Back
Cornerstone
End Of The Rainbow
First John
Glorious Morning
Going Along
He's Living In My Heart
He's My Comfort
He's So Good To Me
Hereafter
I'll Be So Happy There
I'm Not Worthy
In The Palm Of His Hand
Jesus Is Coming Again
Let's Have A Revival
Let The Blood Of Calvary Speak For Me
Look For The Coming Christ
Look What's Coming Down The Road
Love Like The Sun
Master Designer
Medals Crowns And Trophies
No Unknown Soldiers
Precious Old Book
Ring The Bells
Run To Jesus
Shout Brother Shout
Sometimes I Wonder
The Top Of The Hill
They That Sow
Time And Time Again
To Count For Jesus
Walk With God
We're Bringing Back The King
You Gotta Be Born Again