Larry Carlton - "Sleepwalk"

(Debuted February 27, 1982, Peaked #74, 8 Weeks on the Chart)

Larry Carlton is a well-respected guitarist who has contributed his fretwork to hundreds of hits throughout the years. He's been fluent in rock, jazz fusion, smooth jazz and pop and has excelled at all. His solo at the end of Steely Dan's song "Kid Charlemagne" has been called one of the greatest on record during the 1970s. He was the featured performer on the hit single versions of the TV themes for Hill Street Blues and Magnum, P.I. His work showed up in Michael Jackson's Off the Wall, as well as LPs by Barbra Sreisand, Quincy Jones, Christopher Cross, Billy Joel and Joni Mitchell. He was also a member of The Crusaders from 1971-'76.

He was also a solo artist with six LPs under his name. Despite all the hits he helped shape in the studio, Carlton only had one solo hit on the Hot 100. "Sleepwalk" was a remake of the 1959 #1 hit by Santo & Johnny and was accompanied by a light jazz arrangement.

Tragedy visited Carlton later in the decade, when he was shot in the throat by youths outside his studio. He made a full recovery, but the experience led him to form a charity that worked to aid other victims of random gun violence.