Get to know Larry

Immediately following his graduation from Farrington High School on Oahu, Larry was jolted by the realization that he was being drafted into the Vietnam War after an endless summer of surf and freedom.   

His Love for Music has helped him to endure all his turbulent trials since joining the Navy in 1971.   

Inspired by Blues Masters like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Roy Buchanan and Jimi Hendrix, Larry emerges to the forefront with a musical style all his own.   

Lightning Larry Dupio is a Two-Time Na Hoku Hanohano Award Winner and won Hawaii’s support in the genre for  “Rock Album of the Year.”   He is also an award winning Blues Guitarist.  “Lightning Strikes Hilo” won in 2018 and “Love and Lightning” won in 2020.   

In Hawaii, Larry had the awesome opportunity to play music alongside these giants in the industry ~ Charlie Musselwhite, Johnnie Johnson, Canned Heat, John Mayall, Ford Brothers, Davy Jones, Johnny Lang, Jesse Colin Young, Commander Cody, Ziggy Marley, David Lindley, Radiators, Papa Michigan, Jimmy Cliff, Mick Fleetwood and Willie K.   

The Dupio family also lived in the Pacific Northwest for ten years.  Larry was fortunate to be a part of the prestigious ‘Rose City’ music circuit. During that time, he won Portland Guitar Center’s “King of the Blues’ contest.  He was also nominated as ‘Best Guitar Player’ in the Cascade Blues Association’s ‘Muddy Waters’ contest in Portland, Oregon.   

His six albums in chronological order are titled:  LOCAL BOY LARRY DUPIO, ALL FIRED UP, LIGHTNING LARRY DUPIO, ELIMA, LIGHTNING STRIKES HILO, LOVE AND LIGHTNING.   Starting with LIGHTNING LARRY DUPIO to LOVE AND LIGHTNING, four of his albums made it onto Grammy’s first ballot.    

Larry currently lives in Hawaii and his music journey continues................ IMUA!  

 “My volcanic island home inspires me to write music that flows like liquid lightning.”      Lightning Larry Dupio