Hello everybody! Thank you for these comments that came to this site for the first quarter of 2008. Thank you to all of you who write so beautifully of your heart and soul. After reading so many heartfelt comments about Laura and her beautiful music, I couldn't help but think that somewhere Laura is smiling. Because we have all come to this special site and in manner we are joined together through magic, the magic of Laura Nyro and her very special music. Peace to everybody. One of my biggest regrets is that I never saw Laura perform. One would think that there must be at least one or two concerts that were filmed, and I'd love to have the opportunity to purchase a DVD of those performances. Unfortunately, I cannot find any filmed performances. Do any exist? Not really. None of Laura's concerts were filmed. Bits and pieces exist. See Pennybakers Monterry Pop for example. I first listened to Laura as a young teen. My friend Elizabeth brought over Eli's Coming which had just come out and we must have played it 100 times over that afternoon as I found the sounds that would accompany my journey to womanhood in her voice that seemed to come from the center of the earth. I was wild and her hip mother love was like my musical "blankie" through some tumultuous years. I still go to my "Laura place" hearing just one note of her music. I heard her play twice at the Turning Point in Piermont in the early early 90's. I was pregnant the first time and hearing her sing "To a Child" was a preview of what was to come with my own "elf on speed". I listen to her now whenever I drive alone and am still swept away by her genius as a poet, a songstress and musician. Thank you, thank you, thank you for pursuing the film project and thank you for making those of us who will love her always feel so welcomed here. I think she would be pleased...I hope she would be pleased. My friend and I lead music at a New Thought church in Southern California. (This is the 'All Paths to God are good' crowd.)
We have a great band, truly...it would take a great band to do it justice. But on several occasions we have done "Stone Soul Picnic/Save the Country" with all the great harmonies--the way Laura did it live. It brings the house down every time. The last time was with an 8 pc band at our national conference in Asilomar. It's such a great arrangement. I would hope she'd like that her music touches people's heart to this day. And I always introduce it by saying how much I love and miss her... Amazingly, I had never heard of Laura until I recently purchased a copy of her version of "O-o-h Child" from iTunes. I was so taken by her beautiful, soulful rendition of the song that I decided to do some research on the Internet, where I stumbled upon this site. I was very saddened to see that Laura is no longer with us, but so grateful that I was able to learn about this incredibly talented artist--and discover that she had written several of the songs I remember from my own youth. Thank you to those who are keeping her memory and musical legacy alive with this website. Laura was the most wonderful musician who crafted the most perfect songs , her chord changes and powerful voice ( able to go from gut- wrenching full on power to almost a whisper in just one phrase) always in perfect tune , always with perfect timing and rhythm, she was a master unequalled by any other contemporary musician.
Why isn't she better known? Hardly anybody I speak to about music over here in England has even heard her name. Maybe sometimes you can be too good, too perfect, and yes ,too complicated to ever be understood by the general music listening public ; but I still say for pure essence of music- Laura you are the one to beat.
You will live forever in the hearts of those who love real music sung with true passion.
Fran ,
Yeovil , Somerset, England Quite simply I love her voice and treasure the quiet moments when I can listen to her songs. I especially like her musical nods to the "girl group" and do-wop" sounds of earlier years. In the end, she makes them her own and yet retains the original musical spirit.
A great example of this for me is her end notes in her live version of "Dedicated to the One I Love".
Gives me chills!
Mark / Boston Will there be a live compilation of her work? I think live is what Laura's really all about. That band on "season and light" is outstanding and her voice never sounded better. I had the good fortune to see her at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va. in the early nineties. It was thrilling. But I think it's important to document an artist in their "youth". I'd like to see coffehouse 60's film. I know Monterey is there. Great version of "Poverty Train". Someone's gotta do it. C'mon girl, you can do it.
Take care,
unkljer Look for the re-release of "Live at the Bottom Line" in the near future. As for footage, there is not much but we will use what there is in the documentary. I am a composer/musician and professor of music at Berklee College of Music. I have developed a new course beginning soon on Influential women songwriters. Of course Laura Nyro is one of them. I listened to Laura's music as a teenager. My non-musician friends and I were huge fans, and just as Laura Nyro used to hang out with friends on street corners singing acapella, we would sing her music acapella, Emily and Eli in particular. Teenage years being emotionally difficult as they are, I totally related to the emotion of Laura's music. The shrill sound of her voice, inconsistent tempos, and basic non-commerciality of her music never bothered me, or my friends. We still listen to her music with the same passionate connection, as we did 40 years ago. Being older nad musically wiser now, it is really interesting to listen to this music now and hear things I was never aware of before. Learning about Laura's life has been a wonderful experience, and this website has also helped a lot. I look forward to the new documentary!
Suzanne I was a very young teenager when I first heard "Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp" and "New York Tendaberry." From that moment on, I became a New Yorker at heart, and in my imagination New York's sound track was always Laura Nyro. I am 55 now, and I listen to those songs, and I am taken back to a time when I was 13 and determined to make my way from Nashville to New York and live the life Laura Nyro planted in my imagination with her music.
With Love,
Laura Greetings from Olde England! Hearing 'Stoned Soul Picnic' on a British CBS sampler turned me onto Laura's own records in 1969. I already loved Peter Paul & Mary's brilliant version of 'And When I Die'. And although my first loves have always been those who began in the folk rock genre I still have a place in my heart for the way Laura proved Tin Pan Alley, Motown and the Brill Building could mix honesty with commerciality. Without Laura there would have been no Tapestry.
Laura, I miss you still. - Best wishes to all who run this admirable website and to P P & M who first introduced us to her music - love Chris New York Tendaberry is perhaps the most beautiful song I've ever heard // Ulrika from Sweden As a teen in small town Pennsylvania during the late 1960s, listening to top-40 radio evenings and in the car,
certain songs (Stone Soul Picnic, Eli's Coming, Wedding Bell Blues) struck me by their intense and unusual melodies and harmonies, and their catchy rhythms. From DJs or from mentions in the Philly or New York papers, I soon discovered what these songs had in common: they were written by a woman with the enigmatic and lyrical name Laura Nyro. The first news-photo of her I saw, and I was in love with her Jewish-Latino looks. An avant-guard FM station in Philly made it possible for me to hear her sing her compositions. Can you see why I am not blown away by voices like Bjork's? Only one other woman's voice -- Grace Slick's -- sent chills down my spine like Laura's, and for very different reasons.
Today I learned that Miss Nyro died 10 years ago. I had missed the news because I left the western hemisphere
before her death. I mourn a remarkable woman. And she indeed deserves a place in the Great American Songbook. where do i begin. i am 57 years old and have lived a million years. laura nyro was my first love. she gave me the heart to love others, although not to the perfection she has on us. she was the first female vocalist that i felt close to, and allowed me to appreciate others, music, and my soul. years have passed since i have listen to her music. now that i have begun to lissten to her again, i can not stop. what she has done is taught me that life, although short, does not really stop. the passion and
strength i had when i first listen to her (in the
late sixties), i have again, today. i have begun to reach out to long lost friends because of her music is in my heart again.it has made me feel somewhat lost, but i don't care. this feeling may not last but that is alright. what is important to me is that she has given me life, for whatever time it lasts. i do not believe laura would accept the title or label of angel, but in my heart, she is.
alan, from phila., emoporia kansas, kalamazoo michigan and now back to Phila.
After hearing And When I Die on a Peter Paul and Mary album in 1968
I was hooked. The music of this wonderful woman saw me through difficult times, first loves, second loves and all the aftermath. She was a soul-mate whose words and voice continue to resonate through my life. Joy, Sorrow, Confusion, Appreciation, delight. I wish I could have seen her live. I was pulling into the parking lot of the local music store when I heard her death announced on the radio. I sat in stunned silence for what seemed like forever. Bless those of you responsible for this site. Bless us all.
Rick, Oklahoma
When I was pregnant with my first child, I heard the album "Nested" for the first time. It was the sound my soul had been signing. I have never before or since been so connected to a musical work, and I have been desperately trying to find that music for more than 20 years. I now hear it is going to be re-released. When???? Soon, I pray!!!
Ironically, the now 20 year old son I was carrying when I first heard "Nested" texted me from college the other night. Out of the blue, he downloaded some Laura music, and the text read "Laura Nyro's Eli and the thirteen confession is blowing my mind!" I was stunned but not surprised. Her soul keeps calling, even from the grave, for new generations to hear. That's no coincidence. Please re-release Nested soon. It is more timely than ever. It is! Enjoy. We fell in love as Laura Nyro sang about just us...only us..."Meet me Captain St. Lucifer.." I wrote a poem about my love, Stephen, addressing him as my Captain...
we were 14 and 16, and that was 1967
in Austria, Summer of 70... a poem I wrote "crash-roaring tumble fall of purest holy water.." had LauraNyroesque lyrics I called it my "Life Poem"
Our relationship ended but we were alone together enveloped in Laura's Lyrics....she was profoundly able to express my adolescent angst in Poverty Train....I still remember it..."you can see the walls rot, see your brains on the floor..., become God, become crippled, become funky and split, "Why was I born???" Thanks for this opportunity to express my love and admiration for her......it means a lot...Mary For a long time I've had the "Music of Laura Nyro" songbook which I particuarly wanted just so I could have the music for "New York Tendaberry".
I then had a brainwave. A friend who is a Director at very renowned London Music School has a piano and is always looking for an excuse to play. What if I was to take the songbook to his house and ask him to play me this music which has both enthralled and beguiled me in equal measure for so long?
Well - I can't express what a joy it was to here these being played by someone, for the very first time, having never heard her before. He was truly loving it and was most taken aback by the music itself. He has now told me that he will be searching out her music!
Best
Jamie I was born in 1956 and just happened to stumble onto the Flim Flam Man song on u-Tube.
Where did I miss this voice? My wish is that I would have known of this artist a long time ago.
After noticing many of her albums were made back in the 60's 70's hay day how could anybody let this woman slip through the cracks?
Eva Cassidy also had no exposure, yet had a beautiful voice, and now she's gone too.
My guess is that Laura never really got that one lucky break.
It sounds to me like she had everything else to make it.
Then again what do I know, I'm not in the music business, but if I had been I would have been pushing for her.
I'll be checking her songs out now that I know of her.
Sincerely
Frank
Oh my, oh my. I am sitting here now, a 56 year old man, always in love with her sweet voice since I first met Laura in 1970 at the University of Pennsylvania. The memories are intense. I was a young student, 19, working with Penn Union Council, the group that brought concerts to Penn's Irvine Auditorium. She arrived, with her friend, to perform a concert and I fell in love with the beauty of her voice -- such a miracle. Later that evening we all went to a friends apartment, Doris C's place on Spruce St. Laura played and sang for us, in that private forum, as we all relaxed on the bean bags, and sprawled on the floor, relaxing, melting away once more to a voice from heaven -- I still feel my joy, the complete appreciation I had for her absolutely golden, sweet voice, the intensity of her passion, the breadth of her delivery, the passion of her lyrics -- at this very moment, the moment when, from your site, I first learn of her death. Oh my, tears in my eyes. I'm really happy when I realized that Laura Nyro's "Nested" album will be re-mastered on CD format. I couldn't believe it and took some time to think about this stunning news. Nevertheless, I would like to know when and where Laura's fans will purchase it, because this is a dream come true. This album never released on CD, it is an amazing treasure that we will enjoy at last. Check out the home page for a link to order the CD I love Laura and her music, it brings tears of joy to my eyes whenever i hear her sing....i don't quite understand the connection, but she reaches a part of me that is innocent and joyful. her genius is a light of hope. steve I had such a crush on her and her music - wanted to be just like her - wore black every day to school, I thought it was so cool to try and be like her. My favorite album - New York Tendaberry. When it was an overcast day I called it a New York Tendaberry day, because of the black and white album cover.I sang all her songs, played them on the piano - I lived in the Bronx then, went to high school in Manhattan and didn't know anyone else who listened to her. Strange, since to me,she was the essence of New York. I thought, at that time, that I was alone in loving her. She was my best secret. This site is wonderful. She was wonderful. I miss her.
Becky, Atlanta, Georgia
