Born in Detroit, Michigan, Lawrence started playing the guitar at a very young age, he started working in and around detroit at 13 years of age with an R&B group, "The Black Nasty." About seven years later, he worked with Detroit jazz greats Marcus Belgrave, Donald Walden, Wendell Harrison, Bobby Wright and Rod Lumpkin.

For bookings, mailing list or other
information, contact Lawrence at:
lawrencebarris@earthlink.net

At 14 years of age, Lawrence started playing pop tunes — such as Roberta Flack's, "Feel Like Making Love", Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On", The Isley Bros. "For The Love Of You" — "turning them into instrumentals with me playing the melody on guitar — I thought I invented what today is called smooth jazz."

He has worked, and/or performed with George Benson, The Supremes, Ben E. King, The 5th Dimension, George Burns, Joan Rivers, Earl Klugh, Joe Sample, Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Jack McDuff, Dave MacMurry, Fabian, Little Anthony & The Imperials, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and others.

The artists that have been his greatest influences include Wes Montgomery, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Sergio Mendes, Brasil 66, Earth, Wind & Fire, Ohio Players, George Benson, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis, Jr., Charlie Parker, Frank Sinatra, Earl Klugh, Marvin Gaye, Barbra Striesand, Keith Jarrett, Dionne Warwick, Tower Of Power, Donny Hathaway — the list goes on and on...

---

"Lynn Koretz, (owner, Street Corner Music, Birmingham, MI), adds that she’s been playing the CD often in the store, ’And every time I play it, someone buys it.’, she says."
Style Magazine — Linda Bachrack
Arts & Entertainment Writer


love on me (2003)


Lawrence Barris (2001)

 

Lawrence Barris plays guitars