The Roots · Chicago
Larry Heard
Mr. Fingers. The man who made house music deep, with “Can You Feel It” and “Mystery of Love”.
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The story
Who is Larry Heard?
Larry Heard is a Chicago musician who recorded as Mr. Fingers and as part of Fingers Inc. with vocalists Robert Owens and Ron Wilson.
His mid-1980s tracks “Mystery of Love” and “Can You Feel It” brought jazz chords and emotion to the drum-machine sound, and they are widely credited as the birth of deep house. “Washing Machine” went the other way: hard, minimal, acid-adjacent.
He later moved to Memphis and has kept releasing music, including the Mr. Fingers album Cerebral Hemispheres in 2018.
The sound
Deep, melodic and human. Rolling Roland basslines, soft chords and space to breathe.
| Alias | Mr. Fingers; Fingers Inc. |
| City | Chicago, later Memphis |
| Breakthrough | “Mystery of Love”, “Can You Feel It” (mid-1980s) |
| Known for | Pioneering deep house |
| Start with | “Can You Feel It” |
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If you like this
Dig deeper
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DJ Sauce
If Larry Heard is your starting point, here’s who to hear next: El Paso born, Juárez raised, Denver based. Lubdub Records founder. Eclectic house melodies to raw acid cuts.
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FAQ
Questions about Larry Heard
Is Larry Heard the same as Mr. Fingers?
Yes. Mr. Fingers is Larry Heard’s best-known alias.
Did Larry Heard invent deep house?
His tracks “Mystery of Love” and “Can You Feel It” are widely credited as the first deep house records.
Sources: Wikipedia, Resident Advisor. Facts checked October 2026. Spot something wrong? Tell us.