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Benedetto Guitars is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Larry Perkins, our beloved Master Finisher and resident blues artist. 

Larry joined Benedetto in June 2011 when he arrived in Savannah from Phoenix, Arizona, where he had performed in bands and worked as a luthier in several guitar repair shops.  Prior to moving to Arizona, from 1996 to 2006 Larry was very proudly the first non-Gibson legacy employee hired by Heritage Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He kept photos of many of the celebrity guitars he had worked on over the years. 

Larry spent almost three decades working in the guitar finishing world. His reputation in the industry was unmatched, as his coloration and nitrocellulose lacquer finishes were considered flawless, and among the very best in the music world.  He regaled fellow employees and Benedetto visitors with stories of the processes and customers he had worked with over his lifetime. 

Larry was also a very talented blues guitarist who traveled around the world playing in blues bands. He spent three months leading the house band at The Crazy Elephant in Singapore – a highlight of his performing career. He remained active performing in Savannah and was a regular participant in blues jam sessions in Savannah and on Tybee Island. He had a beloved collection of guitars, amplifiers and pedals that he curated over his lifetime. 

 Larry considered Paw Paw, Michigan his home, and attended school there. He attended Western Michigan University where he studied science and played trombone. He also spent time performing in bands and working in Detroit before returning to Michigan to work for Heritage.  

 He was predeceased by his wife Kelly Perkins in 2018, his parents and his sisters. He leaves behind his nephew David and cousin Michael. He also leaves behind his extended family a Benedetto Guitars. 

Larry’s passion for guitars and music will be deeply missed by all who knew him. 

For more about Larry, see this interview published in 2010. http://www.theguitarcolumn.com/2010/01/larry-perkins-on-his-bluesmans-journey.html