Larry Heard

Though sales never matched those of certain peers from the Chicago house community, Larry Heard stands out as perhaps its finest exponent, forging a vital link between disco’s communal warmth and house’s propulsive futurism. Mid-’80s Trax Records singles issued under the names Larry Heard and Mr. Fingers, along with those credited to Fingers Inc. after vocalists Ron Wilson and Robert Owens joined, supplied the blueprint followed by countless later house-influenced producers; many dance artists have singled out these recordings as the genre’s finest moments. In contrast to most contemporaries from the same city, Heard assembled an extensive catalog that includes multiple albums under each of his three principal aliases plus additional ’90s releases issued simply as Larry Heard.

Atlanta’s south side provided the setting for Heard’s 1960 birth; from an early age he acquired records, absorbing jazz and gospel sounds favored by his parents. Although he experimented with guitar and bass during adolescence, a 17-year-old audition bluff led him into a friend’s band on drums. Intensive practice quickly elevated his skill, yet he maintained a civil-service position for steady income. Local band work throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, including one ensemble that featured future house artist Adonis on bass, exposed Heard to assorted synthesizers and gradually shifted his focus from drums to keyboards. In 1984 he abandoned group performance, purchased a synthesizer-drum machine combination, and began producing. Within days he had completed three tracks later regarded as Chicago house landmarks: “Mystery of Love,” “Washing Machine,” and “Can You Feel It.” Limited club-scene contacts delayed exposure, but a 1985 DJ International single titled “Donnie” finally appeared; credited to “the It” rather than Larry Heard, it was co-written with street poet Harry Dennis. An infrequent club visit brought an introduction to Robert Owens, then employed as a DJ yet recognized primarily for an exceptional gospel-rooted voice. Heard and Owens subsequently formed Fingers Inc. with Ron Wilson added.

Recording activity surged as the Chicago house scene gained momentum; nearly a dozen singles appeared on Trax and DJ International in 1986 and 1987. Fingers Inc. supplied Chicago classics such as “Mystery of Love,” “You’re Mine,” “Distant Planet,” and “Bring Down the Walls,” while Mr. Fingers issued the widely regarded peak house single “Can You Feel It.” Although not an absolute distinction, Fingers Inc. releases generally featured vocals, whereas the Mr. Fingers alias served for Heard’s solo instrumentals.

British producers newly drawn to American house began citing Heard by the close of the ’80s. He maintained a steady pace, delivering one of the earliest house albums with the 1988 Fingers Inc. LP Another Side on Jack Trax Records. The following year Jack Trax issued Heard’s original 1984 instrumental demos as the Mr. Fingers album Amnesia without his authorization; despite its questionable release, the collection demonstrated his early mastery through several exceptional tracks. Substantial production contributions to Lil’ Louis’s 1989 debut album, the one containing “French Kiss,” attracted major-label attention, and multiple contract offers arrived at the start of the ’90s. Further sessions with Harry Dennis occurred, yet Dennis’s ongoing substance issues prompted Heard to proceed independently.

MCA signed Heard as a solo artist in 1991; one year later the first major-label project appeared. Mr. Fingers’ Introduction balanced club-oriented garage house with refined jazz-fusion selections. Strong support among DJs and producers worldwide rendered the album an international success. Although it also registered on American dance charts, MCA sought to alter production of the intended follow-up, Back to Love, and ultimately declined to issue it. The album surfaced in 1995 on Black Market Records, the imprint established by Heard’s associate and former manager Ren Galston.

By the time Back to Love reached stores, Heard had already completed and released another album under his given name. Sceneries Not Songs, Vol. 1 and its successor turned attention inward, moving away from dancefloor priorities. A return to more conventional house forms arrived with 1996’s Alien and 1997’s Dance 2000. Late in 1997 Heard announced retirement from recording in favor of a computer-programming position in Memphis. Notwithstanding that declaration, two additional collections of new material emerged in 1998, followed by Genesis in 1999. Love’s Arrival appeared in 2001 after Heard joined the house label Trackmode; its successor, Where Life Begins, was also issued by the same imprint.