Larry Heard (born May 31, 1960) is an American DJ, record producer, and musician, widely celebrated as a pioneer of 1980s house music. Best known by his primary moniker Mr. Fingers, Heard is credited as the progenitor of the "deep house" subgenre, effectively bridging the gap between the futuristic sounds of Chicago house and the lush, soulful elements of disco. Growing up in Chicago's South Side, Heard started as a drummer for a jazz fusion cover band called Infinity. Frustrated by the lack of creative input allowed for drummers, he purchased a Roland synthesizer and a TR-909 drum machine in 1984. Within days of buying his electronic equipment, Heard recorded "Can You Feel It," "Mystery of Love," and "Washing Machine." "Can You Feel It" in particular became a landmark single and a foundational pillar of dance music. Heard teamed up with singer Robert Owens and Ron Wilson to form the group Fingers Inc. In 1988, they released Another Side, which is historically recognized as the first long-form house music LP. Heard released highly influential solo work under the Mr. Fingers alias. He signed with MCA Records and achieved international success with his 1992 album, Introduction. Following creative interference from his label, Heard began releasing music under his given name, starting with the less dance-oriented Sceneries Not Songs, Vol. 1 in 1995. Over the years, he has also recorded under various other aliases, including Loosefingers, The It, and Trio Zero. Heard has continued to record intermittently, returning to his famous alias for the 2018 album Cerebral Hemispheres. In 2022, he finally released the first authorized reissue of Ammnesia, an early compilation of his tracks that had originally been released without his permission in 1989.
About Larry Heard
Larry Heard (born May 31, 1960) is an American DJ, record producer, and musician, widely celebrated as a pioneer of 1980s house music. Best known by his primary moniker Mr. Fingers, Heard is credited as the progenitor of the "deep house" subgenre, effectively bridging the gap between the futuristic sounds of Chicago house and the lush, soulful elements of disco. Growing up in Chicago's South Side, Heard started as a drummer for a jazz fusion cover band called Infinity. Frustrated by the lack of creative input allowed for drummers, he purchased a Roland synthesizer and a TR-909 drum machine in 1984. Within days of buying his electronic equipment, Heard recorded "Can You Feel It," "Mystery of Love," and "Washing Machine." "Can You Feel It" in particular became a landmark single and a foundational pillar of dance music. Heard teamed up with singer Robert Owens and Ron Wilson to form the group Fingers Inc. In 1988, they released Another Side, which is historically recognized as the first long-form house music LP. Heard released highly influential solo work under the Mr. Fingers alias. He signed with MCA Records and achieved international success with his 1992 album, Introduction. Following creative interference from his label, Heard began releasing music under his given name, starting with the less dance-oriented Sceneries Not Songs, Vol. 1 in 1995. Over the years, he has also recorded under various other aliases, including Loosefingers, The It, and Trio Zero. Heard has continued to record intermittently, returning to his famous alias for the 2018 album Cerebral Hemispheres. In 2022, he finally released the first authorized reissue of Ammnesia, an early compilation of his tracks that had originally been released without his permission in 1989.