Stars in their Eyes

The story of Larry Joe is by now well known to everybody. He is a living testimony of someone who has undergone a truly remarkable inner transformation with music being at the core. A former gang member and drug addict in South Africa's Cape Flats area, Larry was a fugitive for seven years before deciding he'd had enough and turning himself in to the police. His 18-month-old daughter (who'd been ill) died while he was on trial.

Larry was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months imprisonment and spent his first few months in jail thinking about his life and how he'd ended up where he was, even requesting solitary confinement so he could think without distractions. As a child his father had taught him to play the guitar and to sing, so he decided to pour his thoughts into music.

Guards noticed his voice when he sang in the exercise yard and soon he was being asked to sing at prison events. It was during one such event, while warming up the crowd for the main act, the multi-award-winning Freshlyground (who was visiting to perform on World AIDS Day), that Aron Turest-Swartz (the band’s founder and keyboard player) took note of Larry's voice and lyrics.

Aron: "Everyone seemed to know him. He walked onstage, this tall thin man with a guitar. He started singing. Everyone was totally riveted. I was really blown away because I hadn't heard a voice like that before. I thought, 'I wonder whose songs those are?'"

Aron offered to work with him to develop his skills and produce a solo album, and the resulting CD was released on the day of Larry's release from prison, the 13th of December, 2010.

Since then Larry Joe has been committed to using his story and his talent to reach out to disadvantaged and marginalised individuals, and to inspire them to change their ways in order to achieve personal growth.

Larry Joe Group was introduced to Stars in their Eyes by the Dutch Embassy in early 2011. Made possible by funding from the Royal Nederlands Embassy, Larry Joe appeared at a number of coaching courses which were organised by Stars in their Eyes on behalf of the WorldCoaches organisation of the Royal Dutch Football Association. He was such an inspiration to coaches, community leaders and children that a collective vision and dream was recognised: to change lives! Subsequently Larry Joe  and Stars in their Eyes discussed ways in which Larry’s unique talent could be instrumental in pursuading more people to support social projects amongst the ‘poorest of the poor’.

Lartry became the goodwill ambassador for Stars in their Eyes, and regularly performs at our courses, clinics and community events. In November 2011 Larry Joe and Aron Turest-Swarts visited the Nederlands, and through a number of impressive, emotional performances mobilised Dutch people to become even more involved in and supportive of social projects. Most importantly, Larry Joe’s honesty and integrity proved that he is inspiration to children all over the world!

Listen to Larry Joe perform one of his beautiful songs by clicking here.