Saponaro, Larry

[dgriffin]

Larry Saponaro

[jjplatt]

I was nine years old when I moved to Elm street and Larry lived on Leah street right across the corner from me.He live with his family and brother Sammy.His grandfather lived upstairs and did not speak English just a few words,he had an old archtop guitar that he let Larry play.I watched Larry play that guitar all the time on his front porch and that gave me the bug to play.I walked over and met Larry and I got a guitar and he showed me how to play it.We were all self taught back then.Then his brother Sammy started to play then Steve foster from down the street played.So now we have four guitar players no drummer.Being I was playing the guitar upside down because I was left handed I got picked to play drums.Next thing I knew we had Willie and Charlie join the group.First we were Larry and the New Yorkers then the New Yorkers and then Hank Brown called us Willie and the New Yorkers on TV and that stuck for years untill the New York Express came along...I still remenber Larry buying a pair of candy apple red shoes for are first gig out, two weeks later they were all cracked up lol..He is my oldest friend and if not for him I would not of been playing drums to this day thank you Larry God rest your soul brother....NYE