“Music imprints itself in the brain deeper than any other human experience…music brings back the feeling of life when nothing else can.”
—Dr. Oliver Sacks
In 1982, at age 31, he awoke during the night. He heard nothing. Thinking it was a dream, he went back to sleep.
Alas, a high fever had eliminated Larry Norby’s hearing. Totally.
Communication with others became very difficult.
Norby could no longer hear music’s joyful sounds, vocal or instrumental.
Consider his plight! Until that moment music had always given Norby enormous joy. Music had been a common bond among friends.
However, since losing his hearing, Norby has managed to find ways to integrate his love of music with living a joyful life.
Joy comes while hiking and photographing. Norby’s images often trigger a remembered song. Tunes may stick with him for several days.
ONLY THE BEGINNINGS1970 was a carefree time at the University of Iowa. Larry Norby and I met through our mutual friend Steve Baker.
In August we three commenced life together as roommates in the still-standing, green house located on South Governor Street in Iowa City.
Our house was a very, very fine house, with one cat in the yard.
We established certain behavioral standards, such as division of labor and respectful treatment of women guests. That said, we still partied hard and sometimes studied.
Norby and I paid for our college costs by working at Younkers, a downtown department store. Our duties included correctly delivering merchandise to the store’s various departments.
Such fare included music. 33rpm vinyl in abundance! We stocked up!
Music was central to college life. The Who, CSN&Y, Santana, King Crimson, Grateful Dead, James Gang, James Taylor, Carol King, Jefferson Airplane, Dylan, Cream, and many more artists defined our time.
Their lyrics helped explain our feelings of angst, passion, hope, and dilemma. Most lyrics remain with us, evoking memories of time, place, and relationship.
Music was even present on our front porch, often the setting for loud, nightly concerts which our neighbors “tolerated.” (We had the decency to sometimes dial down the music around 10pm!)
TIME HAS
COME TODAY Though his hearing vanished, Norby and I have kept in touch. Email serves us well. So does his ability to lip read.
Norby’s current life is nomadic. For three years now he has lived in various locations in Airbnb long-term rentals. We considered a new approach to share the joy of his compelling photographs taken during his hikes through nature’s quiet grandeur.
Norby’s experience needed to be published. After months of discussion and transfer of images via email, I became his book publisher.
Last December, in my Mount Vernon home, Norby’s book first took form.
In late February I traveled to Horseshoe Bay, Texas to complete his book. Working side-by-side on laptops for five days at his Airbnb 6th floor penthouse overlooking Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, we finished the book and sent it to press.
We have traveled many miles to complete The Music Didn’t Die Afterall.
Norby’s book is his personal, artistic expression, blending images and remembered lyrics.
It illumines the music that thrives within.
As Norby’s designer and editor, I exclaimed, “You’ve got a book!”
And does he ever!
It’s worth having and savoring.
Every page is richly filled with image, lyric, joy, and inspiration. It illustrates life’s beauty, an ultimate affront to hearing loss!
It gives hope!
You will sing along.
ENJOY!
Copies are available at Mount Vernon Creates or by contacting me.
Bob Campagna is a local photographer and writer. His email is [email protected].

Gallery • 2 Photos

--Photo by Bob Campagna

The Music Didn’t Die Afterall is a 64-page full color book which blends wilderness images with remembered lyrics. It tells the story of Davenport native Larry Norby’s hearing loss and how music still lives within him.