Feature Writer Terri Winaught – The Unstoppable Larry Ahlborn
Larry Ahlborn, who lives east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in Westmoreland County, has loved playing the piano since he was a boy. Before getting his first piano at age 12, Ahlborn would pretend that the stairs in his home were piano keys.
When he was 22, Larry experienced a religious awakening which inspired him to travel throughout the U.S., bringing his message to people of all faiths with his crisp voice and upbeat piano accompaniments.
Since this talented pianist/singer is legally blind, he travels locally with the help of a driver and Westmoreland County Transit. One local venue Larry goes to each month is the Mountainview Specialty Care Center in Unity, PA. Jackie White, Activities Director at that 137 bed residence, calls Larry’s music “uplifting.” “Larry comes in and shares humor with the group,” she said. “He really contributes to their quality of life.” Jackie added that Larry has been performing at Mountainview for 24 years of that facility’s 35 year existence.
Nationally, Mr. Ahlborn visits between 12 and 15 states on a regular basis, and plans to add 25 churches this year to his tour. Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota are the only states Larry has not visited.
As someone who uses Greyhound for these trips, Ahlborn can readily quote travel times. He’ll tell you, for example, that it takes 56 hours to go from Pittsburgh, PA to Phoenix, Arizona, and 33 hours to go from Pittsburgh to Tampa, Florida.
When this vocalist/pianist travels, it goes without saying that he can’t take a piano with him. That said, Ahlborn plays whatever the venue has. “If they have an electric piano, I play that,” Ahlborn said. “If they have a baby grand, I play that, and if they have an old, broken down piano, I play that,” Larry concluded.
Another jewel in Larry’s God-given crown of successes is his recording of more than 25 albums, with some featuring Ahlborn’s original songs.
With Larry Ahlborn being 71 years old, one might be tempted to ask if he’s ready to slow down yet, to which he would probably respond, “I’d rather wear out than rust out.” It seems that this devoted musician extraordinaire has no desire to wear out or rust out any time soon.
Source: Trib Total Media: Monday, July 16, 2012 article written by Rossilynne Skena, Staff Writer.