The music industry is largely shaped by people. As specific artists and genres come and go, certain individuals hold it all together. Larry Farber is one such person. From playing in wedding and bar mitzvah bands to creating one of the most celebrated clubs in music history, Larry Farber has a fascinating story to tell.
Farber wrote a book in 2021 entitled Noted Memories – How A Kid From Charlotte Had A Moment With Tony, Aretha, Bonnie, Sheryl And More. The name speaks for itself, and the stories within are definitely worth telling. Let’s take a look at Larry Farber and his immense influence on the Charlotte music scene.
The early Larry Farber story
Larry Farber enjoyed a normal childhood in Charlotte, the heart of North Carolina. This bustling southeastern city is an important banking center and one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. As Queen City approaches 1 million people, it’s fast becoming a cultural hotspot. It’s people like Larry who put Charlotte on the map, with the clubs he builds attracting some of the biggest stars on the planet.
As a young man, Larry Farber embraced all the opportunities presented to him. He went to Myers Park High School and grew up in the vibrant Temple Beth El congregation. He loved music from an early age, joining his first band, The Nightcaps, at age 12 and playing in numerous other bands. He was the smiling guy behind the keyboards, playing regular gigs and doing occasional shows beyond the city borders.
Along the way, Farber met lots of musicians and industry figures. He always had an eye for business, and it wasn’t long before he got involved behind the scenes. One of his earliest experiences was brokering basement gigs for The Nightcaps, as he worked hard to get himself and his bandmates paid. A few years later at UNC Chapel Hill, he did a deal with United Airlines and filled two planes with students to fly to Los Angeles and cheer on the Tar Heels in the Final Four.
There are many other stories like this, showcasing Larry’s great aptitude for the music industry. His skills only improved as the young ambitious man behind the keyboards stepped out and started taking control of business. According to Farber himself, everything starts from a good idea: “I’m always challenged by creating ideas… When I go to bed, I’m creating. When I wake up, I create. If I’m not doing something different, a little bit of me is dying. It keeps me from suffocating.”
From music lover to industry legend
Larry Farber is a legend in his hometown, having orchestrated some of Charlotte’s biggest events. More than anything else, he’s famous for bringing people and musicians together to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences. He owned a popular Charlotte beach music club and brought lots of exciting artists to the city. He was also the president of a Charlotte synagogue, where he created a ball and raised more than $1 million in revenue.
In 1986, Farber opened the Charlotte office of EastCoast Entertainment (ECE). The company had been started by Dennis Huber and Steve Thomas, who were working from their Richmond, VA headquarters. Larry became a senior partner in the organization, with the company growing to 14 offices across the country. ECE has grown by leaps and bounds over recent years, representing performance artists, celebrities, and comedians alongside DJs and bands.
The country club for musicians and music lovers
In 2006, Larry Farber had a vision to open a private music club called Music With Friends. With a little help from his deep-pocketed buddies, he managed to attract some of the biggest performers in the world. The idea was simple enough: they’d hire the biggest music legends they could afford and serve up cocktails and fancy food to an appreciative audience. They wanted to create a real VIP experience for sophisticated music lovers who had moved on from stuffy arenas and crowded festival dance floors.
They found the perfect clubhouse at Spirit Square’s McGlohon Theater, a repurposed Byzantine Baptist church named after Charlotte’s beloved jazz pianist and songwriter Loonis McGlohon. By April 2007, they’d already recruited 400 members and were starting to plan events. Singer Michael McDonald presented the first concert, with Gladys Knight and Tony Bennett following in the first 12 months. The venue has been called “acoustically flawless”, but tickets don’t come cheap. The one-time seat fee is $550 and annual fees are $1,650 per person.
More amazing artists graced the stage as months went by, including Steely Dan, ZZ Top, Diana Ross, Hall & Oates, Willie Nelson, Chicago, Bonnie Raitt, and Jackson Browne. As you might expect, given the gravity of these names, Larry has some pretty amazing stories to tell. One event in particular says a lot about Farber and the musical experiences he tries to cultivate.
Larry Farber booked Aretha Franklin for a Charlotte performance in 2012, which happened to be the same day Whitney Houston died. The two artists were close friends, and Aretha was shell-shocked by the news. According to Larry, “Aretha was devastated and wasn’t sure she could do the show.” After Larry said “You can see this used to be a church. What better place is there… to grieve?”, she decided to perform a special tribute to Houston.
No one in attendance will forget that performance, as one of the world’s most legendary singers shared a raw and intimate moment of grief. While this night was obviously a one-off, it says something about Larry’s approach to the musical experience. Farber does much more than book the talent, he tries to create an atmosphere for the music to shine.
He wants every venue he creates to be special and every performance he hosts to be unique. It’s the way music should be heard, and it doesn’t happen as often as it should.
Future dreams and plans
Larry Farber doesn’t really like resting — there’s just too many things to do. Now into his early 70s, he’s a senior partner of the rebranded Charlotte-based ECE. This company is now the largest regional entertainment agency in the United States, booking 10,000 acts each and every year. From high-end weddings to corporate events and luxury hotel openings, Farber has more than enough to keep himself busy. He continues working for his local Jewish community, and he recently received the Blumenthal Lifetime Achievement Award from Temple Beth El.
In 2019, he also opened an uptown Charlotte jazz club with his son Adam Farber. This was his dream for many years — Middle C Jazz regularly hosting local acts, global superstars, and everyone in between. Throughout his long career, Larry has booked names like Sheryl Crow, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Jon Bon Jovi, and The B-52’s.
With so many massive names playing at venues owned by Farber, and great times had by all, his legendary status in the Charlotte music scene is guaranteed.
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