Larry Hosford Shelter Records Albums on YouTube - Ernie Hagar and Gary Roda on Pedal Steel

[Taylor Kropp]

Howdy everyone,

Been lurking here for a year or so since acquiring a pedal steel on tour. I grew up right outside of Salinas, CA and have been playing guitar since middle school. Growing up in the Salinas Valley in the mid 2000s/early 2010s there wasn't a huge scene for roots music in the area but as I graduated high school I started to find local jams with older pros and weekend warriors and Larry Hosford's name would always come up and people would say things like "Larry is the real deal he's a legend" etc. Later on I learned that one of my mother's best friends grew up with Larry and was very close with him and his family.

Cut to late 2025 and I am sitting at the pedal steel and trying to learn some fundamentals after healthy year of touring the country as a six string sideman and I discover Ernie Hagar and his magical playing. I start to do a deep dive on his career and I come across the name "Larry Hosford" in his credits and a lightbulb goes off in my head "I haven't heard that name in years". A few music heads have written about Larry on the web since I last heard his name so I was able to learn things about him that no one told me in my early 20s like how he was signed to Shelter Records by Leon Russell himself and George Harrison and Tom Scott guested on his second record...

Anyways all this to say I was able to purchase his first two albums sealed on vinyl and have them transferred to digital here in L.A. as they have never been reissued by any label or distributed to streaming.

Ernie and Gary both play wonderfully on these albums!

I think it's really cool that he used a wide cast of characters on both of his major label albums like his road band and many musical friends and studio legends like Tommy Cogbill on bass! Recorded at both Bradly's Barn and Capital in LA... I love the songs and the playing on these records and have been really swelling with pride that someone from my homeland made such incredible music with incredible players in the golden area of California country rock.

George Harrison contributes slide guitar and Leon piano to this wonderful song "Direct Me" off of his second album and they both contribute harmony vocals to "Wishing I Could".

If any forumites have any memories of seeing Larry play I would love to hear about it.

Hope you enjoy the music,

Taylor

Debut Album

https://youtu.be/FjeW8XPaaxk?si=oT4RvLSK5bGVnnrW

Second Album

https://youtu.be/0HRbH1KAeXk?si=XTokDhJbfJ01KE-b

[Joachim Kettner]

A nice write up Taylor! I have his first album, but can't find it at this moment, I think Frank Reckard played guitar on Long Distant Kisses.
And thanks for presenting his second.
I will listen to it tomorrow.

[Joachim Kettner]

A nice write up Taylor! I have his first album, but can't find it at this moment, I think Frank Reckard played guitar on Long Distant Kisses.
And thanks for presenting his second.
I will listen to it tomorrow.

Gary Roda used to write here years ago

[Taylor Kropp]

Very cool Joachim!

If Gary is still around I would love to hear about any memories of the tracking sessions and touring with Larry.

I can’t decide which album I like more!

Cheers

Taylor

[David Wren]

I ran into Gary at the Sacramento Western Swing Society, a few months ago. Then I believe he was playing steel for The Buck Ford band, out of Vacaville, CA.... not sure what he is doing now.