Legendary Larry

By Nancy Zugschwert, ’19 M.A.

Larry Bach and his wife, Jerilyn, came to Minnesota from Pennsylvania. Not having grown up in the Assemblies of God (AG), Larry was leading music at an AG church but had never heard of North Central Bible College until he met Rick Olson ’75 at a Pennsylvania youth camp. Larry was leading music for the camp, and Rick was there in his role as the AG National Youth Director. They both loved sports, Rick loved the music Larry was doing, and they became friends.

Because Rick traveled nationally for his job, the administration at North Central reached out to the alumnus when they needed to fill a role in the Music Department. Larry recalled that Rick told them, “I know somebody nobody knows,” and gave them Larry’s name

Larry received a call from Don Meyer, Ph.D., who oversaw Academic Affairs at North Central at the time, and later became president of Valley Forge Christian College. Larry, who was 27 years old at the time, recalled asking Dr. Meyer, “Do you know how old I am?”

Meyer said, “Yes. But you came highly recommended by Rick Olson … we’d love for you to come out.”

However, it wasn’t just Olson’s recommendation that helped Larry snag the job. David Owen was a North Central faculty member who had previously served at the church where Jerilyn grew up, and it happened that he was on the search committee when Larry came to interview.

“I’ll never forget this,” Larry said, “because, at the end of the interview, the chair of the committee said, ‘Well, Brother Owen, do you have any questions you would like to ask Brother Bach?’ (because that’s how everybody spoke back then). And [Owen] said, ‘I have no questions, but I will say this: Any man smart enough to marry Jerilyn Sorbo is smart enough to teach in this college.’”

The Bachs moved to Minneapolis, and their North Central story officially began in August 1981.

In the nearly 41 years since their arrival, Larry has served as an instructor, conductor, professor, chair, and dean. He has led or provided oversight to the worship experience in daily chapel throughout his tenure. Until her retirement in 2021, Jerilyn also served at North Central in many capacities, from support staff to faculty member in the Education Department.

To say that Larry Bach has left his mark on North Central University would be an understatement, and chronicling his influence is no small task.

The visual and textual snapshots of “the Larry Bach years,” like a photo album, include stories and images—markers that remind us of shared experiences. However, the complete story can only be told in the hearts and memories of those whose lives have been touched by the 41-year career of Legendary Larry.

Photos in this section are from North Central yearbooks, NCU Magazine, Marketing and Communications photo archives, and the Chorale concert on April 5.