Arts & Entertainment

Iron Butterfly Guitarist, Bradenton Native Reinhardt Reportedly Dead

Friends and family of Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt have posted condolences and memories on his Facebook Page.

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Bradenton native Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt the guitarist and songwriter who joined Iron Butterfly in 1971 after stints in bands with Dicky Betts and Berry Oakley before they joined The Allman Brothers Band, has reportedly died.

According to friends and family members who posted to Reinhardt's facebook page, he died at around 6 p.m. on Monday. He was 63.

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According to reports, Reinhardt went into the hospital last week with an infection and was moved into Intensive Care on Sunday. He was on life support for a short time, but was taken off based on an advanced medical directive, or living will.

While close friends and even family members have posted to his facebook page, Patch could not get official confirmation on his death late Monday night.

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Reinhardt began his music career in Bradenton, his hometown, and frequently played in Sarasota, too. He worked with several local bands that played throughout the region, including The Thunderbeats. According to information at rldrecords.com, in 1967 Reinhardt helped form The Load and then later The Second Coming, with Dicky Betts and Berry Oakley, another Bradenton band that later went on to become The Allman Brothers Band. At about the time the Allman brothers were formed, Reinhardt joined Iron Butterfly.

Iron Butterfly's best known his is "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidda," which also had its own Simpsons moment (see video).

According to Reinhardt's Facebook page, after Iron Butterfly split, Reinhardt formed Captain Beyond, with Lee Dorman from Iron Butterfly, Rod Evans from Deep Purple and Bobby Caldwell from Johnny Winter. That band lasted until 1977.

Rhino stayed active in the music business for years, even performing in some Iron Butterfly reunions. After Captain Beyond split in 1977, Rhino had his own band “Rhino” in 1979. Rinehardt put out an album last year under the rldrecord label and his group Rhino and the posse.

In the past few years he has spent time with the local musicians he knew from his early days in Bradenton. In August he performed at a benefit for Dan Toler, a former Allman Brothers member, who has ALS also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.


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