Lawrence Joseph BOILINI

26 JAN 1957 - 7 MAY 2004

• BIRTH: 26 JAN 1957, Knox, Starke, IN
• DEATH: 7 MAY 2004, Indianapolis, Marion, IN

INDEX

[N18200] Lawrence Joseph Boilini
January 26, 1957
Knox, IN
May 7, 2004
Indianapolis, IN

Obituary
Lawrence Joseph Boilini January 26, 1957 - May 7, 2004 Larry was born in Knox, Indiana, the youngest child of Lillian and Frank Boilini. He became a varsity athlete at North Judson High School who played both offense and defense in football. He was Outstanding Lineman two years in a row and captained both varsity and junior varsity teams simultaneously. He also played in the North Judson High School band. Larry earned his B.A. degree in Telecommunications from Indiana University in August of 1979. Later that year, Larry's love and appreciation for American roots music and blues inspired him to become a founding member of the Bloomington, Indiana-based Hesitation Blues Band. With fellow I.U. students and like-minded blues lovers, Richard Fraser on guitar and Tad Robinson on vocals and harmonica, Larry held down the bass guitar chores in the trio which quickly became a popular attraction in coffee houses and nightclubs in the Bloomington area. The band was modeled after the sound of Larry's favorite band Hot Tuna. By the early 1980s, the Hesitation Blues Band had turned electric with the addition of drummer Jan Clark and guitarists Tom Horvat and Karl Corts. It was in 1982 that the band reached its stride playing a regular circuit of nightclubs reaching throughout the Mid-West. In the early '80s through the hard work of Larry as the band's manager, the band became the darling of club owners who needed an opening act for big name blues and R&B groups who came through the area on tour. As a result, a great dream was fulfilled for Larry as he and "the boys" (as he fondly referred to the band) opened important blues shows for legendary musicians such as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sam & Dave, Martha Reeves, Albert King and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. In 1984, the band was summoned to the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois to play with Bo Diddley. It was a special treat for Larry, that same year, when a club owner in Dayton, Ohio requested a repeat performance after their own Friday night gig for a Saturday night opening slot for the jazz violinist Papa John Creech, a longtime member of Larry's beloved Hot Tuna. Although the blues music world proved to be small, Larry's heart was large and he made many great friends along the way; friends who would keep in touch with Larry as the years went by. Music would always remain a passion for Larry throughout his life. After moving back to his hometown of North Judson, Indiana, to help with the family business, he became president, manager and owner of the North Judson Hardware. He also gave generously to the community and served as president of the North Judson Chamber of Commerce. During that time, he was active in the city's annual Mint Festival serving as music manager for a number of years. In the hardware business, he was recognized with a number of awards from the Paint Industry Association and others. His loss is mourned by his three children; Lauren of Kansas City, Missouri, Colin and Colette of Bloomington, Indiana; his father, Frank, of Venice, Florida; sister, Bonnie Boilini Baxter of South Bend; and brothers James Boilini of Key Largo, Florida and Edward Boilini of Indianapolis, Indiana; numerous nieces, a nephew, brother-in-law and sisters-in-law. In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated and will be used according to the family's wishes. Published in the The Indianapolis Star on June 20, 2004