In the fall of 1957, when Larry Welch and Neal Slack were high school juniors, they discovered that they could harmonize on some then recent Everly Brothers songs. Larry played the guitar and sang lead while Neal added the vocal harmonies. The duo added songs from Buddy Holly, and other 1950's pop music groups and were soon performing at country school programs, dances, proms, talent contests and later toured with their college choir as a special music group. Concerns for family responsibilities, completion of their college degrees and earning a living separated them in 1961. In 2011 they rekindled their musical interests and now call themselves "50 Years Late" (FYL) .... 50 years after their 1961 parting.
In May of 2014 Vince Stephens became a member of the FYL band. He is an experienced bass musician with a good sense of the period music and brings strong bass dynamics to the trio. Vince is an automobile buff and loves cars, both old and new.
Larry is a retired teacher with 29 years of teaching at Winfield H.S., McPherson College and Hutchinson Community College. In addition, he plays bluegrass music and is skilled on the 5-string banjo. He was inducted into the Kansas Bluegrass Association Hall of Fame in February of 2015.
Neal has taught secondary school in Great Bend, Plains and Kingman. He also served as high school principal in both the Kingman and Pretty Prairie school systems. In addition to singing with "50 Years Late" he also gardens and plays golf. He and his wife, Mitzi, enjoy traveling and attending their grandchildren's activities. They live in Pretty Prairie, KS.