LONG ISLAND, NY (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Larry Hoppen, one of the founding members of the band Orleans, passed away on July 24th at the age of 61.
Hoppen's first foray into the world of music was his Ithaca, New York-Based band Boffalongo, who recorded two LPs for United Artists, one of which would later become a hit by King Harvest.
After Boffalongo broke up in 1971, Hoppen was invited in 1972 by (former US Congressman, D-NY, 19) John Hall to come to Woodstock to join with Hall and Wells Kelly and form the band Orleans. Larry's younger brother, Lance, joined the band the following fall. Tens of millions know Larry's uplifting tenor from the Orleans hits “Still the One”, “Dance With Me” and “Love Takes Time."
Apart from his work with Orleans, Larry peformed and recorded with numerous artists, including Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Livingston Taylor, Lulu, Graham Parker, Blues Traveler, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Michael Franks, Levon Helm, the late great Michael Brecker, the late great Chet Atkins, the late great Artie Traum, John Sebastian, Bela Fleck, Felix Cavaliere, Edgar Winter, Robbie Dupree, Spencer Davis, Rick
Derringer, Mark Farner, John Ford Coley, Jimi Jamison, John Cafferty and many more notable artists.
Larry also released a pair of solo albums, "HandMade" and a benefit album for HIV afflicted children called "Looking for the Light."
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Smith Hoppen and his daughters, Claire and Maeve, as well as his brothers, Lance and Lane and his sister, Lynda. His family has asked that any memorium considerations be made instead to local food banks. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
