Some very sad news to report, influential musician (and the “Father of Christian Rock”) Larry Norman passed away yesterday, he was 60 years old.

Norman, a resident of Salem, rose to fame as the frontman for People!, and then later was known for his fantastic solo work. While unfortunately saddled with the “Jesus Rock” title, Norman’s music recklessly broke from the church on most all religious issues, and instead offered radical views on global politics (especially Vietnam) and his own personal strife. Never a cheerleader for the faith, Norman was a very complicated individual whose unconventional beliefs often alienated him from the church, while his religious content scared away secular music fans.

His music has influenced everyone from Paul McCartney to Pete Townshend, and was especially important to Frank Black, who often went out of his way to speak highly of Norman’s work.

MP3:
Larry Norman - I Love You

Larry Norman - I Am The Six o’ Clock News

His brother Charles wrote a nice memorial, it’s after the jump. Also, Norman’s work was about to receive it’s first proper retrospective treatment, courtesy of local label Arena Rock Recordings, it will be out on May 27th. It’s very sad that he did not live to see that.

Hello everybody.

Our friend and my wonderful brother Larry passed away at 2:45 Sunday
morning. Kristin and I were with him, holding his hands and sitting in
bed with him when his heart finally slowed to a stop. We spent this past
week laughing, singing, and praying with him, and all the while he had
us taking notes on new song ideas and instructions on how to continue
his ministry and art.

Several of you friends here got to come and visit with him in the last
couple of weeks and were a great source of help and friendship to Larry.
Ray Sievers, Derek Robertson, Mike Makinster, Matt Simmons, and a few
more. Thank you guys. Larry appreciated your visits very much. And he
greatly appreciated the thoughts, wishes, support and prayers that came
from all of you Army members on a daily basis. Thank you for being part
of his small circle of friends over the years. Yesterday afternoon he
knew he was going to go home to God very soon and he dictated the
following message to you while his friend Allen Fleming typed these
words into Larry's computer:
________________________________

I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God's hand reaching
down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are
getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home.

My brother Charles is right, I wont be here much longer. I cant do
anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to
everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and
finance and we will probably still need financial help

My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside.
But still it will be costly because of funeral arrangement,
transportation to the gravesite, entombment, coordination, legal papers etc.
However money is not really what I need, I want to say I love you.

I'd like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be
a funeral posted here on the website, in case some of you want to
attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell,
we will meet again.

Goodbye, farewell, we'll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.

Larry
________________________________________

Thank you to all of you who were so nice to my brother over the years.
Kristin and I will post funeral information in the next day or two.
Right now we're not able to function very well, but the whole family is
here... our mother Margaret, our sisters Nancy and Kristy, Mike Norman
and his new wife Tiffany, and Silver.

We miss him beyond words. Thank you for everything.

Peace to you all in Christ,

Charles Norman