Larry Verne Erickson, born Larry Vern Erickson on February 8, 1936, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is an American singer known for his novelty songs. He initially learned piano and guitar at a young age but began his career as a stuntman in Hollywood under the name Wizzer Red. During this time, he met Fred Darian, Al DeLory, and Joseph van Winkle, who wrote "Mr. Custer" and needed an interpreter with a Southern accent. Erickson adopted the stage name Larry Verne for this project. Released by Era Records in 1960, "Mr. Custer" became a nationwide hit, reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Charts. The follow-up single, "Mister Livingston", also charted but did not achieve the same level of success. Over the next three years, Larry Verne released approximately ten singles and an album titled Mister Larry Verne, which included tracks like "Laundromat" and "Open The Window". Despite these efforts, no further hits were produced, leading him to step away from music. He then pursued a successful career in film in set design, working on notable productions such as Rambo III and Police Academy 6 – Widerstand zwecklos. Larry Verne passed away on October 8, 2013, in Sylmar, California.
