Larry Sparks was born and raised in Lebanon, Ohio, born September 15, 1947.… Read Full Bio ↴Larry Sparks was born and raised in Lebanon, Ohio, born September 15, 1947. He is a Bluegrass singer and guitarist. He was the winner of the 2004 and 2005 International Bluegrass Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year Award and worked as a rhythm guitarist for Ralph Stanley many, many years ago. He eventually started doing his own solo work and has made dozens of great albums. His voice is authentic and immediately recognizable. Some of his best work has been in the bluegrass-gospel field.. His family originated from Jackson County, Kentucky in the Appalachians. In his childhood, he used to listen to the Grand Ole Opry and to radio station WCKY. He learned to play the guitar when he was quite young influenced by artists such as Wayne Raney, Stanley Brothers, Tommy Sutton and Paul "Moon" Mullins. Although he had played in country music and rock bands while he was in high school, his bluegrass career began when he joined the Stanley Brothers in 1964. At that time he was playing in a local band in Middletown, Ohio: "Irvin MackIntosh and His Band" and a friend of him, banjo player Wilbur Hall, was acquainted with Moon Mullins - who had just arrived to Middletown - and Hall told Mullins about Sparks. Mullins, who knew the Stanley Brothers, recommended Sparks to them and he was hired after an audition. An extensive tour followed and he recorded for the first time in 1965 for a small label in Dayton, Ohio. Sparks, left the Stanley Brothers in October 1966 to perform with Roy Lee Centers' band in Dayton.

In December 1966, Carter Stanley of the Stanley Brothers died and Ralph Stanley was in need of a guitarist to replace Carter. Stanley came looking for Sparks and he was hired on February 7, 1967. "Ralph Stanley and His Clinch Mountain Boys" consisted of Ralph Stanley-banjo, Larry Sparks-guitar, Curly Ray Cline-fiddle and Melvin Goins-bass. Sparks moved to Clintwood, Virginia and got married. With Ralph Stanley, Larry Sparks recorded the original versions of modern bluegrass standards including "I Only Exist", "Sharecropper's Son", and "Going Up Home To Live in Green Pastures". In late 1969, he left the "Clinch Mountain Boys", formed the "Lonesome Ramblers" and began recording for Pine Tree Records. The first version of the "Ramblers" comprised Larry Sparks, David Cox, Lloyd Hensley, Joe Isaacs and Larry's sister Bernice Sparks. After Pine Tree Records he went to Old Homestead Records and then to Starday Records before moving to the bluegrass label Rebel Records in 1977. Over the years, his band has undergone numerous personnel changes. Banjo player and tenor singer Dave Evans has been one of the "Ramblers" most well-known members.

I NEED JESUS
Larry Sparks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I Need Jesus

Chorus
Well I need Jesus, you need Him too
Along Life's highways
To carry you through
When you're in trouble
And don't know what to do

Call on Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
He'll carry you trough
He'll carry you trough

Sometimes I'm discouraged
My load's hard to bear
And I feel myself stumble
'Neath my load of care
Then I ask Him this question
Oh my Lord, how long?
Then I hear His voice
Whisper, whisper, whisper
Soon you'll be coming home

Repeat Chorus
You'll be coming home

Overall Meaning

The song "I Need Jesus" by Larry Sparks is a testament to the power of faith and the importance of having a personal relationship with God. The chorus of the song states that the singer needs Jesus and encourages others to embrace faith as well. When trouble arises, the singer urges listeners to turn to Jesus, as he is the one who will see them through difficult times.

The verses of the song describe the singer's personal struggles with life's burdens. The singer feels discouraged and overwhelmed by the weight of his troubles. He asks Jesus how long he must endure this hardship, and Jesus responds with a gentle whisper, assuring him that soon he will be coming home. This line suggests that the singer is looking forward to the promise of eternal life, which gives him comfort and hope.

Overall, "I Need Jesus" is a powerful song about the transformative power of faith. It encourages listeners to turn to God when they are in need and to trust in His plan for their lives. The message of the song is universal and resonates with people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I need Jesus, you need Him too
Everyone needs Jesus to navigate through life

Along Life's highways
In life's journey

To carry you through
To support and assist you during hard times

When you're in trouble
When you face problems and difficulties

And don't know what to do
And feel helpless

Call on Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Ask for Jesus's help

He'll carry you trough
Jesus will give you the strength to endure

Sometimes I'm discouraged
I feel disheartened

My load's hard to bear
The burden I carry is heavy

And I feel myself stumble
And I struggle to keep going

'Neath my load of care
Under the pressure of my worries

Then I ask Him this question
Then I ask Jesus

Oh my Lord, how long?
How much longer will I have to endure?

Then I hear His voice
Then I hear Jesus speak to me

Whisper, whisper, whisper
Gently and reassuringly

Soon you'll be coming home
You will soon be in heaven with Jesus

Repeat Chorus
Repeat the previous verses

You'll be coming home
You will go to heaven after passing through trials

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIE E. HENDERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Jackie Kincaid

on Old Faded Picture

Old faded picture is a well thought out song. It's a wonderful love song. People who cut your writing is something writers can not worry about. The song is written for song lover. Not for those who run down what you do

just now