Larry Boyd
Larry Boyd grew up in Carlyle, Illinois about an hour east of St. Louis, Missouri. He took piano lessons as a youth and later played trombone in the school band. His early training in music led him to explore other instruments and soon he had taught himself to play guitar, bass, flute, and saxophone.
Larry played in several bands in the Carlyle area with his older brother Roger prior to forming the TimeAtions in the mid-60s with Steve Huston. The band would change its name to Head East in 1969 at the suggestion of the band's roadie Baxter Forrest Twilight. Larry remained with Head East as their bass player until 1974 when he left to spend more time with his wife and child and to finish his teaching degree.
Larry would soon return to the band as their stage manager and later on their road manager handling the logistics of touring; sound and light companies, tour buses, hotels, and handling the money for the tour. He also co-wrote "Call To Arms And Legs" with Steve Huston which was included on the band's 3rd studio album Gettin' Lucky.
After leaving Head East in the early 80s, Larry held a variety of positions to include teaching in junior high and high school, working for the Illinois State Board of Education for 10 years, and consulting on Federal Education Grants. He has also worked as a morning DJ for a classic rock station in Metro St. Louis and has played in a couple of local Illinois bands over the years. Larry occasionally appears with Head East, sitting in for a song or two on bass. Larry currently resides in Illinois where he is enjoying semi-retirement.
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In Memory of
Steve Huston
Steven Charles Huston passed away unexpectedly at his home in Texas on July 25, 2023 at the age of 73 . He was born in Centralia, IL, on November 17, 1949 and was raised on a cattle ranch near Cravat in Jefferson County, Illinois. He grew up with St. Louis radio and TV and was a diehard Cardinals fan.
Steve was a 1966 Rural Electric Association essay winner, which led to the forming of The TimeAtions and ultimately Head East after meeting Roger Boyd on a trip for essay winners to Washington D.C. The TimeAtions changed their name to Head East in 1969 and were signed to A&M Records in 1975. Steve was a prolific writer whose songs remain fan favorites to this day. Among the many songs that appear on Head East albums, Steve composed Jefftown Creek, City of Gold, Open Up The Door, Time Has A Way, Ticket Back To Georgia, and co-authored Gettin' Lucky with Mike Somerville.
During his early years with the band, Steve studied at Kaskaskia College (AA) and Edison State College/Eastern Illinois University (BA). However, college was interrupted when A & M Records discovered Head East and signed the band to a recording contract. Later on after departing Head East, Steve would earn postgraduate degrees from University of London (Postgraduate Diploma – Distance Education), Goddard College (MA).
Steve left Head East in the early 1980s to work in television and recording production studios in Des Moines, Iowa until 1989, when he moved to Houston to become a partner, chief engineer, and studio manager in a new recording studio. In 1993, Steve was recruited to to teach audio production by The Art Institute of Houston from which he retired after more than 20 years of service. In 2018, he wrote and published “Head East: A Labor of Love,” essays about music and his career. He sang with Head East as a guest vocalist, most recently during the Head East 50 year Reunion Tour. Steve's full obituary may be read on the Claire Brothers Funeral Home Website at: https://obituaries.clairebrothersfuneral.com/obituary/2232
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John Schlitt
John Schlitt grew up in Mt. Pulaski in Central Illinois. John is the original lead vocalist of Head East, joining in 1969 shortly before the band changed their name from theTimeations to Head East. Performing with Head East and keeping up his studies at The University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana proved to be a difficult task, and within a few months John had left Head East to concentrate on his studies. John would go on to earn a degree in Engineering and returned to Head East full time in 1973.
John is a dynamic lead singer who wrote some of Head East's most popular songs including "One Against The Other" and "Get Up And Enjoy Yourself ". John departed Head East in the spring of 1980 and fronted his own band Johnny for a few months before taking a hiatus from the music business. Over the next few years John worked in both Illinois and Utah as an engineer, during which time he overcame the substance abuse problems that had effected his musical career.
John joined the christian rock group Petra in 1986 and was their lead vocalist for two decades. He still performs as a solo act and with other contemporary christian artists to include occasional reunions with Petra. John has made a few special guest appearances with Head East including the Iowa Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame induction concert in 2011, the Rockin' The Symphony concert at Carbondale, Illinois in 2015, the Carlyle Lake 50th Anniversary Celebration concert in 2017, and at several special Reunion Shows in 2019 which featured members of the band's A&M Records years in the 1970s. John has released several solo CDs and has recorded with other Christian artists. He is the recipient of several Dove and Grammy Awards. For more information visit John's Official site.
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