Elgart was born in 1922 in New London, Connecticut, four years younger than his brother Les, and grew up in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey.

In the mid-1940s, Les and Larry started up their own ensemble, hiring Nelson Riddle, Bill Finegan and Ralph Flanagan to arrange tunes for them.

In 1953, Larry met Charles Albertine and recorded two of his experimental compositions, "Impressions of Outer Space" and "Music for Barefoot Ballerinas".

Larry and Albertine put together a more traditional ensemble and began recording them using precise microphone placements, producing what came to be known as the "Elgart Sound".

[4] In 1954, the Elgarts left their permanent mark on music history in recording Albertine's "Bandstand Boogie," for the legendary television show originally hosted by Bob Horn, and two years later, by Dick Clark.

Larry and Les reunited in 1963 and recorded several more albums, ending with 1967's "Wonderful World of Today's Hits," after which they went their separate ways.

[6] In 1981, in a stark departure from the fabled Elgart Sound, Larry produced Flight of the Condor for the RCA Victor label, described as an album in the Jazz-funk and fusion genres.

It does have a good deal of Latin flavorings with Elgart's alto sax and Patti Coyle Bunham's wordless high register vocalise blending gracefully.Elgart's biggest exposure came in 1982, with the smash success of a recording titled "Hooked on Swing".