Mr. Fingers

Larry Heard (born 1960) is a musician widely known for the Chicago house music he produced in the mid-1980s and continues to produce today. He was a member of the influential group Fingers, Inc. and has recorded solo under various names, most notably Mr. Fingers. His smooth production style with soulful vocals and long instrumental passages that de-emphasized percussion spearheaded the subgenre known as deep house. One of his first releases was a collaboration with singer Robert Owens, released under the group name "Fingers Inc." The song "Mystery of Love" instantly became a classic hit, rising to #10 on the Billboard Dance charts. Although he has created much music and his career is ongoing, his mid-1980s tracks are considered classics in the house and nu-soul genres. He has mentored other successful artists, most notably Son Dexter, whose label Alleviated Records has released some of Heard's music. Much of Heard's music is released and re-released under different names, including Fingers, Inc., Mr. Fingers, Loosefingers, Larry Heard, and Robert Owens (the vocalist on those tracks).