I can remember seeing Larry Norman 34 years ago at a free concert in Lancatser, PA. It was held in Long’s Park and the small crowd who didn’t seem to know him any more than I did, were sitting on blankets thrown helter-skelter, enjoying the sun and sharing in small talk waiting for the show to begin. I was there because someone said there is a free contemporary Christian concert being held in Lancaster. In those days I thoughy contemporary Christian music meant playing hymns in church with electric guitars but my friend said this was supposed to be Christian rock and so I went.

I can remember this guy with straight blonde hair walking across the stage, which was a band shell in the park, carrying his guitar and a chair. Never looking at the audience he placed his chair center stage in front of two mikes: one for his guitar and one for him. There was no introduction; no one to tell us the concert had started. Most of the crowd, myself included, thought he must be some warm-up act. He played for 30 minutes or so and since I could hardly hear him from where I was I just kept talking with those around me until the “real” act showed up. Then he was gone. Someone came on stage and we thought Larry Norman was going to be introduced but instead he just thanked us for coming. My exposure to live Larry Norman is pure Larry Norman: you never know what will be in the Larry Norman package on any given day.

The next day I bought his album ‘Only Visiting This Planet’ so I could hear what he sounded like. It was a keeper and it still is with the exception of a fcouple of rough spots.

Peace be with you Larry, your visit to this planet is over and you are finally home.

Read Christianity Today’s online article about his last concert: this past Friday.