Larry Nager

Larry Nager is an award-winning author, music historian, documentary filmmaker, educator and musician based in Nashville, TN. He is the author of Memphis Beat: The Lives and Times of America’s Musical Crossroads (St. Martin’ Press) and writer and co-producer of the acclaimed film, Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music. He has worked with the Recording Academy for the past 15 years, acting as a historian and production consultant for the 2000 film Sounds of Memphis, and interviewing dozens of American music cons for the Living Histories program. He continues to write and produce short films and live events for the GRAMMY Foundation, and is currently working on a documentary on autism and music therapy. He is the former Music Editor for The Memphis Commercial Appeal, The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Cincinnati Post and has written for Rolling Stone, GRAMMY Magazine, The San Francisco Chronicle, Bluegrass Unlimited, Living Blues, Blues Revue, Musician, Frets, Nashville Arts & Entertainment and other publications. As a musician, he has performed on and/or produced American roots music albums for Folkways, Rounder, Vetco and other labels. He has performed at The Kennedy Center, The Library of Congress and A Prairie Home Companion and has toured Cuba and Belarus for the U.S. State Department.