 He became a versatile musician, playing trumpet, trombone, and clarinet.While in his twenties, he became a prolific arranger for dance orchestras; bandleaders Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Glen Gray, Louis Armstrong, and Bunny Berigan all used Larry Clinton charts.His first stint as a bandleader was from 1937 to 1941, and he recorded a string of hits for Victor Records.