Larry Groce (born April 22, 1948) is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Groce learned to play guitar while attending Adamson High School, which at the time featured an abundance of young musical talent—classmates included singer-songwriters Ray Wiley Hubbard, Michael Martin Murphey, and B. W. Stevenson.

Groce recorded his first album while attending Principia College in Illinois. After graduating, he relocated to New York City, where he performed regularly at a coffeehouse and began to establish himself as a professional musician. He subsequently signed with Daybreak Records and released his first album of original songs. After a brief period in Los Angeles, Groce’s career took a new direction in 1972 when the National Endowment for the Arts selected him to serve as a “musician-in-residence” to conduct concerts and educational workshops in schools and communities. His initial residency was based in Barbour, Tucker, and Randolph counties, and he continued with the program through 1985, visiting schools in at least 20 states.

In 1975, while serving in this program, Groce wrote and recorded the satirical novelty song “Junk Food Junkie.” Although the song initially failed to attract interest from major record labels, it was released independently as a single and distributed directly to radio disc jockeys. The recording received widespread airplay and reached the Top Ten of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in early 1976. Its success brought him national attention, including feature articles in The New York Times and People magazine, as well as appearances on The Tonight Show and Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.

Following this commercial breakthrough, Groce continued with his extensive career. He has recorded 24 albums and performed in nearly every U.S. state as well as internationally. His work also includes contributions to nine Disney albums, four of which achieved gold status and two platinum. One of these recordings received a Grammy nomination for “Children’s Record of the Year.”

In 1983, Groce assumed a new role as the co-founder, artistic director, and host of West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage. The program, which is nationally distributed to hundreds of public radio stations, has featured performances by artists such as Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, and numerous others. Groce served in this position for nearly four decades, helping establish the program as a significant platform for live music performance. After retiring as host in 2021, he was succeeded by Kathy Mattea but continued on as the show's artistic director and occasionally as guest host.

In addition to his broadcasting and recording work, Groce has been active in a range of artistic and cultural endeavors. These have included owning a ballet school, co-owning Graffiti—a regional news, music, and humor magazine—acting, and serving as founding director of FestivALL Charleston, a multi-day arts festival in West Virginia’s capital city. 

Groce’s contributions to music and the arts have been recognized with the West Virginia Governor’s Award for Leadership in the Arts. He has also received honorary doctorates of music from the University of Charleston and West Virginia Wesleyan College. He was inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2010, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2020, and the Folk Radio Hall of Fame in 2024.