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Larry Bastian
Born September 1st 1934 into a family of farmers in the fertile San Joaquin Valley near the city of Porterville, California, Larry Bastian's early years were in agriculture and cowboying, experiences that would later deeply influence his songwriting.
After completing his college education, Larry spent fifteen years working as a biologist but also dabbled in songwriting, posting his early compositions to the leading country music publishers.
Finally, at the age of forty, having received encouraging feedback from several acts including Bonnie Owens and Buck Owens, he decided to concentrate on music, although he himself would visit, but never live in Nashville.
One of his most notable collaborations was with Garth Brooks. Together with Pat Alger, they co-wrote "Unanswered Prayers," a song that became a significant hit for Brooks. The song, inspired by a real-life encounter Brooks had with his high school sweetheart, explores themes of gratitude and reflection on past desires.
Of the song, Garth said: "Pat Alger and I worked on this song quite a long time without a hook, without the line. We passed it by Larry Bastian and it was as if it was meant to be. Larry, his wife Myrna and I were taking a walk down 18th Avenue, and he looked at me and said, 'Oh, that's simple. This song should be called 'Unanswered Prayers' because some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.' This is probably the truest song I have ever been involved with as a writer. Every time I sing this song, it teaches me the same lesson... happiness isn't getting what you want, it is wanting what you've got."
Another standout composition by Larry was "Rodeo," which he solely penned. Initially titled "Miss Rodeo" and intended for a female artist, the song underwent a transformation when Brooks decided to record it himself. Released in August 1991 as the lead single from the album "Ropin' the Wind," "Rodeo" resonated with audiences, capturing the essence of the rodeo lifestyle.
Garth would later write: "If one looks down the list of music's greatest writers of all time, I couldn't imagine the list being complete without the name of Larry Bastian. The song 'Rodeo' was originally titled 'Miss Rodeo.' It was a female song, where the artist sang about how she could not compete with the sport of rodeo. I tried to get every female I know in the industry to cut this song. When the last told me she just didn't hear it, I began to wonder if that meant I was supposed to do something with it."
Larry's songwriting prowess extended beyond collaborations with Brooks. He co-wrote "Yard Sale" with Dewayne Blackwell, a poignant track recorded by Sammy Kershaw. Released in June 1992 as part of Kershaw's album "Don't Go Near the Water," the song delves into the emotional aftermath of a broken relationship, using the metaphor of a yard sale to depict sorting through remnants of a shared past.
In addition to these, Larry co-wrote "If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl" with Buddy Cannon. This song was recorded by Sammy Kershaw and released in March 1995 as part of the album "Feelin' Good Train." It achieved a peak position of #18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Larry also collaborated with Pat Alger on "Cowboy Bill," a track that reflected his deep connection to cowboy culture, while other songs became hits for such Nashville luminaries as Buck Owens, George Jones, Moe Bandy, Tammy Wynette, Tracy Byrd, Janie Fricke, Eddie Arnold, Marle Haggard, Lacy J Dalton, Conway Twitty and Vern Gosdin. In all he had songs on 70 hit albums, and earned four Gold Disks.
Throughout his career, Larry's authentic storytelling ability and deep-rooted experiences in farming and cowboying enriched the country music genre, leaving a lasting legacy.
International Songwriters Association Hall Of Fame Member.
Larry died at the age of 90, on the 6th April 2025, in Springville, California, USA, of undisclosed causes.
© Jim Liddane
Copyright Songwriter Magazine, International Songwriters Association & Jim Liddane: All Rights Reserved
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