2006

Larry Ferguson - “Jack of all Trades”

Larry Ferguson is a name that many people may or may not be familiar with.  Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Larry is the friend and manager to Dottie Rambo.  He and his wife, Judy, have been married for over 10 years and they have 2 children, Christian who is 5 years old and Pierce who is 15 months.  For the last several years, Larry has been the main overseer for Dottie and her ministry.  After traveling with Dottie over the last several years, Larry has many road stories to share and he has recently written a book about his travels with Dottie, aptly called "Driving Miss Dottie".  The book releases later this year and Larry is quite anxious for the release.  In gearing up for the release, hopefully this interview will help people know just who Larry Ferguson is…

How did you get involved in Southern Gospel Music?

Larry: I grew up loving Southern Gospel Music. I actually got involved in the industry helping promoters and churches with promoting their concerts.  Later I started my own promotions company, and I mainly held my concerts in the Louisville, Kentucky area. From there, things just took off as I took on many roles, trying to get more involved in the industry.

So how did you meet Dottie and how did you get involved in working for her?

Larry: I was in awe of Dottie the first time I saw her on television. I thought she was amazing and she really is the first gospel singer that I ever totally "sold out" on. I actually met her for the first time at the National Quartet Convention several years ago. I still remember being so scared to approach her but I did and I asked for a picture with her and she said, "I would love that honey. I just painted my nails and they are still wet so if you mess them up I will knock you down!" (laughing).

Later I started promoting her in concert and then ended up booking a lot of dates for her. When she made some changes in her life and her direction in music and ministry, I was honored to take the position as her manager.

What exactly do you do for her?

Larry: Well...(laughing) I do a lot. I travel everywhere with her and I book her dates along with Beckie Simmons who is a great friend. I pitch her songs to other artists, manage her career and ministry and create new products and merchandise for the fans. She's like my mom so I do a lot of other things for her too, kind of a manager, chauffeur, secretary, bodyguard, assistant and jack-of-all-trades all wrapped in one.

What's it like working for Dottie?  What is your average day like?

Larry: Working with Dottie is incredible. She is so down to earth; no ego to deal with and that really makes things easy. She is always trying to help me as much as I help her. That's just the type of person that she is.

To say what an average day is like with Dottie is hard. One day we could be on the road or on a plane, or we could be working in the office. One thing people probably don't realize is how hands on she is in her business. That was one of the things that I was really adamant about when I came to work with her; that she be in on all her decisions and have control over her own finances and all the things she that should have known and been doing for years.

Outside of working for Dottie, what other aspect of the industry are you involved in?

Larry: You know I have to admit that I have really slacked as far as being real involved in the industry outside of working with Dottie. I get invited to a lot of parties and industry events but I am such a homebody I rarely go. I just recently started to realize how important that was, so I am doing more of that now. Now that I am more ready to do it, I will probably get fewer invites (laughing)…you know out of sight out of mind! (laughing) But, I do try to stay active in reading all the trades and websites.

You have a book coming out titled, "Driving Miss Dottie".  How did that come about?

Larry: It's funny how this book came about. I actually started doing a little bit here and there for US Gospel News, just to let some of the fans know Dottie was back and was staying busy. Dottie and I just happened to be telling stories one day about crazy things that have happened on the road and she said "Larry are you keeping a log of this cause you need to write a book". So when Woodland Press believed in the project, it just took off and they have been incredible to work with. Keith Davis and Mike Collins are two of the greatest people you could be involved with. It has really made this project flow so well having their 100 percent and Dottie's blessing and push to do it.

So, tell me about the book, when it will be released, etc…

Larry: "Driving Ms. Dottie" should be released sometime in early 2006. Mike Collins is co-authoring and editing the project with me. The concept of the book is not of a biography type. I am not going to tell Dottie's life story as she can only do her story justice. I am simply telling funny happenings from the road. My book is more of the behind the scenes things that the fans want to know about and all the wonderful people we have met along the way. It's a tribute to Dottie and basically just a book about a guy who's childhood dream came to fruit. I thank God every day that I am able to brush shoulders with Dottie and I pray that some of her anointing will rub off. (laughing).

Seriously, people will see a fun side to Dottie like playing with my kids, acting crazy, or whatever. The book is going to be filled with photographs of Dottie with artists in SG and all fields of music. It's something I'm very proud of and I think her fans will love it. Plus, it is going to be a great segue for Dottie's own book, which will come out late next year. So this will whet appetites for the feast so to speak. I've also been asked to write a little in the book of what I do when I am not with Dottie and the publisher has selected a lot of pictures with celebrities and fun family shots to use in that section. So it's really a special project to me. I won't be revealing any skeletons or exhuming bodies in this (laughs). It's just a lighthearted fun side of what the public doesn't get to see.

Is this your first literary offering?

Larry: This is my first book. I hope it does well enough that I can do something else in the future. I would love to write more on SG and it's artists. I love photography and have a huge collection of photographs that I have taken over the years of artists from so many genres of music. I would love to publish a book of my photos and stories about the artists in them; a coffee-table type of book.

What are your future plans?

Larry: I will continue to work with Dottie until Jesus comes, unless she grew tired of me. She's my priority outside my wife and kids. I have a lot of projects with Dottie coming out like some reissues and television specials. We have the Dottie Rambo doll coming out and so many other things.

Any interesting or unique stories you could share?

Larry: We have had so many great and fun stories and so many unusual things happen on the road and just from being with the public. Once at the NQC when I was leaving the convention to run to the hotel and pick Dottie up, this woman pulled a lock of my hair from head. I didn't know what happened and I just thought I lost my balance and was falling backwards. I caught my balance quickly and saw this woman running away yelling, "I got some of Jonathan Martin's hair!!!" I still can't believe that she first of all, thought I was him and second of all, that she was so brass to pull anyone's hair she admired. I really don't think she could have been a huge fan of his or she would have known he had shaved his head bald at the time (laughing). I've had fans of Dottie's find out where I live and follow me around town all day long trying to get to Dottie's house. Some fans have found out where she lived and stole her trash and even took the trashcans. (laughing) Seriously, they just loaded up the cans in the back of their truck and the neighbors thought it was some of our staff because they were wearing Dottie Rambo T shirts. (laughing)

Switching gears here, what are your thoughts about gospel music as a whole and its direction?
 
Larry: I think Gospel music is in a transition right now. I think it's kind of in a scary place to be truthful. I don't mean that in a negative way because sometimes you have to take risks and chances in order to get to a better place in life, ministry or business. We have so many fans that want to keep the traditional Southern Gospel sound alive and many that want to see it continue to progress. I don't think we have really found the right blend or direction yet. We have lost so many of our legends over the last few years and this has really hurt the industry and actually made it take a stronger look at it's self.

What would change about it?

Larry: I would love to see the labels get more involved with radio. It seems some of the smaller labels do a better job with radio promotions than some of the larger labels. It's not uncommon to go through a town and listen to a major Southern Gospel station and hear Dottie, Vestal, the Perrys, Hoppers or another greatly produced record and then hear a single that was recorded in a basement of a church and that is very frustrating. When I look at the charts most of the artists that are on major labels that top the charts have hired secondary radio promoters in addition to the label while some of the smaller label artists are topping the charts or running neck to neck with a major artist because their record label is pushing that much harder. It's not uncommon for a group to have a huge chart topping song and year to date not selling ten percent of another artist who hasn't even made the current Southern Gospel chart. Dottie, Vestal and The Happy Goodmans and even the Oak Ridge Boys are some of the best examples of this. These artists all probably have some of the largest fan bases in Southern Gospel and sell better than most on the chart yet the visibility on the chart is scarce. The Booth Brothers are another example of a well selling fairly new artist that you don't see as much on the charts as you should. All of these folks are being played like crazy but just not charted as well as they should be. It's really true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Don't get me wrong I am proud and happy for everyone who charts well and is played well and wish everyone success and prosperity. I just think if we had a Billboard sales chart we would see that what the public is buying might shock us in comparison to what is charting.

I would also like to see better-produced records and for our song content to be more lyric driven. It would be great to see non-performing writers like Joel Lindsey, Phil Johnson or whomever to be equally recognized as the performing writer as well.

What groups did you grow up hearing and enjoying?  Who do you enjoy of today’s talent?

Larry: Actually, the first real introduction I had to Southern Gospel music was Elvis. My Grandma loved Elvis and I got to have my first taste of Southern Gospel through him. But I love the old Statesmen and Masters V.  I loved Jake Hess, as he was probably my favorite male artist in Southern Gospel and one of my all time favorite people. I love all styles of Southern Gospel, but the mixed groups were always my favorite. Dottie Rambo was and always has been my favorite gospel singer, so of course I listened to the Rambos. The Speer Family was always one of my favorites; I just thought Brock's bass voice was so smooth.  The Cathedrals still amaze me at how great they were.

As far as what is on the current scene in Southern Gospel, I think the Isaacs are just incredible! Sonya and Becky have voices that I know make the angels jealous (laughing). But the musicianship, their tight harmony and just the whole package is incredible to me. I love the Booth Brothers.  You couldn't meet any kinder people in the business than those guys. Guy Penrod I think is amazing so I listen a lot to the Gaither Vocal Band. Jeff and Sheri Easter are one of my favorites too. As far as writers go we have so many great writers like Joel Lindsey, Aaron Wilburn, Gerald Crabb and so on.

So who and what are you listening to right now?

Larry: I'm actually listening to Aaron Wilburn's new CD "Southern Culture". I think he is hilarious and of course one of our great writers in the industry. I've been enjoying The Isaacs "Heroes" and Jeff and Sheri's "Sunshine". Though it's been out a while, I am still enjoying Jessy Dixon's "Get Away Jordan". I love the Booth Brothers and Dove Brothers too, so I just keep everything spinning. Plus, I've always got Dottie Rambo playing as well! (laughing)

You mentioned earlier how you’ve met so many different people.  How did you come to meet those people like Dolly Parton and others?

Larry: I have loved Dolly Parton all my life so I have followed her around all over and such. I first met her when I was 14 and then any chance I could get afterwards I always took it. It was really a dream come true to get Dolly and Dottie together in a studio. I felt like I was going to be raptured! (laughing)  Dolly has been wonderful to Dottie and especially to my 5-year-old son Christian. He's totally in love with her. (laughing)

Let’s tread some interesting waters here.  You and Dottie have become friends with Lily Tomlin.  How did this come about?

Larry: Lily Tomlin is probably the kindest and most down to earth celebrity that I have ever met. Her mind is that of a genius with her memory and timing. Her family is some of the greatest people you could ever meet as well. Her brother Richard is so talented.  Lily's mom Lillie Mae loved Gospel Music and she and the people in her family like Michael Langston and her son Richard Tomlin would watch Dottie on TBN for years. Lillie Mae was born in Kentucky and lived in Paducah for several years.

I know you and Dottie have received some flack for performing with Lily.  What would like to say to those people?

Larry: I, as well as Dottie, would welcome Lily to share any stage she stood on. Lily is a wonderful person, good-hearted and down to earth. If anyone would have a problem with the two of them sharing a stage that's something only unfortunate for them but we take the high road and if a person's attitude were inauspicious toward others, then there is nothing you can say to please them anyway.  Some people just need something to complain about. That's what separates cynical people of the world from loving people like Lily. Besides Jesus isn't democrat or republican.

Can you give me any information about yourself that maybe a lot of people don’t know about you?

Larry: I am an avid collector of memorabilia. I have so many autographs and I collect everything. I have movie star wardrobe items, I have a pair of Dottie's old stage shoes and her old Rambos tour jacket, a pair of Dolly Parton's shoes autographed and one of her wigs, Mae West's earrings and so many great things that I collect. 

Probably my biggest hobby is photography and I love to document all the artists we have worked with or that I have met on my own over the years with photos. I have albums full of pictures with great people I have met along the way and I guess if I came close to coveting something, it would be those.  (laughing)

To find out more about Larry and "Driving Miss Dottie", check out Dottie’s website www.dottierambo.net