Larry Carlton Talks About 'Kid Charlemagne' and 'Don't Take Me Alive'

Excerpt from my interview with the legendary Larry Carlton.

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[carlquance]

One could spend a lifetime playing nothing but Steely Dan music and it would not be a wasted life. 🥰

[robtcondon]

My brush with Larry Carlton. Was living outside Nashville in Lebanon, TN. Married but going out some evenings. Casually talking to a nice lady - mentioned I was a guitar player - she mentioned her Ex husband was Larry Carlton. (Kind of funny - like top that!) I said "I love Larry Carlton". Anyway, her son Travis or TJ (I still remember "blues for TJ" song.) she gave me his number and we jammed numerous times. - along with beak - larger nosed drummer. Sometimes Larry would appear. He was kind enough to listen to my entire CD that I'd just released. He said you're going for that style. Wish I knew what he meant. Beautiful human.
He subsequently heard in his church that I was in a major motorcycle accident and sent me a labeled guitar pick and a nice note.

[mrreemann]

I took a guitar lesson from Larry Carlton in his hotel room the Catamaran in San Diego. I still remember every note.

[Pladderkasse]

The Kid Charlemange solo must be the coolest collection of licks ever recorded. No unnecessary filler, just pure groove and sophistication. The Dan just had it together, didn't they? The songwriting, the production, the players. They were rocks parallel to German engineering.

[genecase]

The Royal Scam was a perfect mix of the raw, earlier sound of Steely Dan and their later more precise work. A wonderful transition album. I also think it's the most underrated album in the rock era and Larry Carlton has a lot to do with that album being so great.

[everett]

I'm so so so glad someone asked him about Kid Charlemagne. That is truly one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. I don't think it can get better than that.

[bertgetner]

The Royal Scam. Incredible album. Larry's licks were awesome!

[jiveturkey]

These high-level musicians brains just amaze me.

[hamishspencer]

I could listen to this forever and, yes, Kid Charlemagne is the greatest guitar solo of all time.

[mikeadams]

Larry Carlton is not just a great guitarist..he's one of our greatest musicians...thanks for all of the music Larry...

[DennisAlvarezMusic]

Guitarists like Larry Carlton, Jay Graydon and several others serve to remind mere mortals that no matter how good one might think they are, there's so much more that can be accomplished on guitar. And for them it's just all in a day's work. What an amazing musician! And human being! :-)

[dirtysouth]

Rick shows an interesting duality here. He is obviously pretty much on the same level as these great musicians, yet at the same time he is like a little kid at the candy store while interviewing these greats. Kudos, sir

[pynogrl]

I love Larry in “ Daddy Don’t Live in That NY City No More!”- definition of coolness( that’s probably why he was utilized by Steely Dan so much)♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[UntoldRelic]

Holy moly, Rick. Your interviews lately have been off the hook.

[jeffj]

OMG, rock history. What a great interview. I have listened to those songs hundreds of times.
I literally think 100 years from now, people will discover these gems and they will play them. The songs are done so very well.

[smoorej]

What a fantastic interview. It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around just how insanely good Larry Carlton is. Between his God-like technical skill and the breathtakingly beautiful tone he gets out of that 335 there is simply no one like him. And thank God he was on Kid Charlemagne, I can’t imagine that song with any other guitarist.

[Bassman]

I still practice the "Kid Charlemagne" solo every week. One of the finest solos of all time. Larry is brilliant.

[Fretboard_Frenzy]

What a classy gentleman and fantastic guitar player. A real treasure. Mr. Larry Carlton!

[LanceCampeau]

That second solo in Kid Charlemagne.... No doubt my all time favorite.... and I only discovered this track over the last 6 months.

[don]

Yes, Kid Charlemagne one of the best tunes ever (like so many Steely Dan tunes), and Larry's guitar work definitely some of the best guitar solos ever. Thank you Donald Fagen for writing and giving us some of the best music ever recorded, and Larry for your killer guitar! What magical times they were, and how lucky we are this great music will live on forever.