Larry Groce

Larry Groce has served as Host and Artistic Director for Mountain Stage since its inception in 1983, and his musical tastes have been instrumental in defining the sound of the show. Larry grew up in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas alongside fellow Texas musicians Ray Wylie Hubbard and Michael Martin Murphy; and began to record professionally in 1969, while still a college student. From 1972 to 1985 he served as a National Endowment for the Arts-sponsored musician-in-residence, visiting schools in twenty different states. One of those residencies brought him to West Virginia, where he has made his home for over forty years. In 2005, Larry became Executive Director of FestivALL Charleston, a 10 day (and growing) festival of music, dance, theater and visual arts. He lives on Charleston’s East End with his wife Sandra; daughters Virginia and Bonnie; and Betsy the Wonder Dog.