Roz Larman, 'Folk Scene' Host, Dies At 83

Howard & Roz Larman

ROZ LARMAN, sole host of the weekly radio program, "FolkScene," after the death of husband HOWARD in 2007, passed away from a recent heart attack and stroke at the age of 83.

The show aired on KPFK/PASADENA for the past 46 years, except for a 17-month period in the early 2000s when a contract dispute over ownership, kept it temporarily off the airwaves until the feud was resolved. 

“Someone said to us that ‘after you’ve been gone a year, people forget about you,’ ” she told The Times in 2002. “They didn’t. People were always asking us when we were coming back.”    

"ROZ LARMAN and her late husband, HOWARD LARMAN, were simply the heart and soul of WEST COAST folk, the music, the scene, its very presence,” DAN NAVARRO, board member and former president of FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL, told the L.A. TIMES.

The show ran for more than four decades, featuring the likes of TOM PAXTON, LOUDON WAINWRIGHT, JACKSON BROWNE, KATE WOLF, TOM WAITS and the McGARRIGLES, along with PETER CASE, DAVE ALVIN and LUCINDA WILLIAMS and newcomers ANTJE DUVEKOT, DAR WILLIAMS and THE DITTYBOPS, among others. 

The LARMANS hosted "FolkScene" since starting the show as a labor of love in 1970.    

"When I finally got on the show,” THE BLASTERS’ co-founder, lead guitarist and chief songwriter DAVE ALVIN told the L.A. TIMES in 2000, “I knew I’d made something of myself.”    

KPFK GM STEVEN STARR hailed them as “legends in this field. Their show has been a stopping-off point for just about every single name in folk music in the last 30 years. They are the folk music radio equivalent of the GRAND OLE OPRY.”    

ROSALIND MEDNICK was born APRIL 17th, 1933, in WATERBURY, CT, moving with her family to CALIFORNIA. She met HOWARD LARMAN on a blind date set up by a mutual friend and were married for 50 years.    

ROSALIND served as co-producer of “FolkScene” while working her day job as a credit-card arbitration consultant for banks. She booked guests and usually introduced recordings they played, while leaving in-studio interviews to her husband.    

After HOWARD died, LARMAN assumed that role as well to keep the show going.    

They also produced and hosted concerts and music festivals, and produced CDs showcasing music from many of their  guests. 

“We buy our own tape, pay for our phone calls, use our own equipment,” HOWARD LARMAN explained. “I’ve spent time with people who go boating or play golf. They spend lots of money on that. This is our recreation.”    

Son ALLEN LARMAN said he would keep “FolkScene” going in its long-standing slot from 6 to 8p (PT)  SUNDAY evenings with help from his wife, musician KAT GRIFFIN, host of “Americana Matinee” on KCSN-FM as well as the support of his parents’ longtime engineer, PETER CUTLER, and his wife, DEBBIE HAN CUTLER.    

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