Posted on: November 6, 2008 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Merle and Larry are San Francisco based-California tuned and have entertained locally and internationally since 2002. Recently they returned from a tour of Europe where they shared their music from Budapest to Barcelona. And now..their story:

Merle:
We met over an evening of dinner and fine California wine, and we talked until the wee small hours of the morning. “My,” I thought, “he’s the most worldly wise man I have ever known.”

Larry:
“MMMMMM”, I thought.

Talk turned to action and soon we were definitely a couple about town. Love, marriage, baby carriage — not necessarily in that order — came along. In a way, starting a wee bit later in life, we grew up together, raised a family, had divergent and then were lucky enough to intertwine our careers and business.

And then there were dreams — dreams of the theater and of music, song and travel. Sometimes, if you are with the right person they can make your dreams come true and so we started to sing together — to perform, enjoy and share new and exciting dimensions of life.

We have had the opportunity to perform on the trans-Atlantic cruises of the Queen Mary, as well as on the Holland America, Princess and Norwegian Cruise lines.

Together we are on a journey, which has taken us through choral and solo performances with the renowned Berkeley Broadway Singers, Anna’s Jazz Island, Berkeley Calif. Octavia Lounge San Francisco and the Herbst Theater San Francisco We have shared our humor and music at charitable events and with travelers from around the world.

DID THE LOVE COME THROUGH THE MUSIC?

L & M:
“I guess love is music, performance, comedy”.

For those a bit more curious about us:

Merle was a first and second-generation child with ties to the Ukraine, Latvia and Germany.

Larry’s ancestors harken back to Daniel Boone and even Winthrop Scott, the very first governor of Massachusetts. Larry’s definitely the Scottish, English, French and Dutch, a real “Heinz 57 Variety”. Larry’s great-great-great grandfather-was an acrobat in (Wild) Buffalo Bill Cody’s Traveling Circus and there are even ties to Daniel Boone.

Growing up in Berkeley, Larry sang in church choirs and the school chorus, coming forward to perform solos as his voice matured. Larry sang with the locally famous Berkeley Harmoners, and later was chosen to sing with the renowned choral director Jester Harrison at the University of the Pacific. Larry eventually entered the family business and his love of music sometimes focused on crooning a tune to a lovely girl. Time passed, and soon the complexities of his family, his wonderful children, and his business prevailed.

Merle grew up in the Midwest, and had the wonderful opportunity to study with Julie and Sulie Harrand, two sisters who cut their teeth on The Borscht Belt in the Catskills of New York. Merle was bitten by the theater bug, and performance has been a passion ever since. On completion of studies at The University of Illinois, Merle became a well-known radio personality, “Halvah”; at the Chicago radio station WSDM/FM, working for the famed record producer Leonard Chess. Time passed and the call of California was heard. Merle came out West, and continued her university studies. And still, her love of theater and song prevailed. She performed Commedia Del Arte at the Renaissance Pleasure Fairs and obtained notoriety as Elizabeth Barrett Browning during her annual performances at The Great Dickens’s Faire. There was a brief flirtation in the movies: “The Sicilian Cross” with Stacey Keach and Roger Moore. Merle continued studies in theater in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and closer to home, the American Conservatory Theater and the Berkeley Repertory Theater.

Merle’s career as a psychologist, her family and the business eventually tipped the scales, and for many years she continued her love of theater as an appreciative audience member.

Then in 2001 Merle and Larry joined the Berkeley Broadway Singers and the rest is history and prologue.

ou can order the CD at www.merleandlarry.com also available through itunes merle and larry.

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