Lari Goss Passes Away

Nationally-known producer and arranger Lari Goss passed away on Saturday. Goss' contribution to gospel music was recognized with a tribute program on TBN that was recorded for DVD in 2012. Artists like the Booth Brothers, Hoppers, Martins, Mark Trammell Quartet, Legacy Five, the Nelons and others recognized his talents arrangements and orchestrations and sang songs that he arranged. He was recognized also with the National Quartet Convention's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Goss produced critically acclaimed projects for such artists as The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, The Cathedrals, Signature Sound and many more. He is also recognized for his work with secular artists such as Glen Campbell, Ray Price and B.J. Thomas. His arrangements have been heard in countless venues around the world, from the stage of Radio City Music Hall to the Tonight Show. Additionally, he arranged and conducted music for such prestigious entities as the Grammy Awards, the Peoples Choice Awards, and world famous London Philharmonic Symphony, with whom he has recorded several award-winning albums.

Goss was a native of Cartersville, Georgia, but lived in Nashville with his wife Carolyn and their family. They had four sons.

Many gospel artists paid tribute to Goss on Facebook, here's what a few of them said -

Gerald Wolfe (Greater Vision) - Lari Goss, writer, arranger, musical genius, my musical hero, my friend, has stepped into the literal presence of The Lord. At this moment, he is taking in all the sights he tried to interpret through his musical arrangements, and he is finding out it's much more than he ever imagined. My heart is broken for his wife, Carolyn Fuqua Goss, his sons, his brother Roni Goss, and all of us who feel the heaviness of this painful, but temporary loss. At the same time, I'm more anxious than ever to sit down with Lari again, very soon, and hear his description of his first moments in Heaven. Rest well, Hero. We'll see you soon.

Mark Trammell (Mark Trammell Quartet) - My musical hero and friend for 31 years, Lari Goss, graduated to Heaven yesterday. He could hear and write things in music that very few could fully appreciate. He had the ability to take a blank sheet of paper and write notes and numbers on it and make the story in a song literally come to life right before your ears. I would have given ANYTHING to have seen the look on his face when he heard the music in Heaven for the first time. He LOVED great music and was a one man institution in gospel music. No one has ever gotten as much out of a recording as Lari could. It might do us well to begin seriously looking for and preparing for the return of Jesus because the best candidate for conductor and arranger for the orchestration portion of the second coming reported for rehearsal yesterday. The Golden City Tour has never been more real!

Booth Brothers - Our hearts are heavy tonight from the news of the homegoing of our dear friend and producer Lari Goss. What a giant and true friend. Lari arranged our songs "In Christ Alone," "We Believe," and Mosie Listers classic "Then I Met The Master." Please join us in prayer for his wife Carolyn, their children, and brother Ronnie Goss. This precious man meant so much to us.

Nelons -

Post by The Nelons.