Laura Nyro - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, class of 2012. I really should know more about her - but I don't. Laura Nyro (1947 - 1997) was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and this one that I own shown above - New York Tendaberry, and she had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th Dimension recording her songs. Her style was a hybrid of Brill Building-style New York pop, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, show tunes, rock and soul. Between 1968 and 1970, a number of artists had hits with her songs: The 5th Dimension with "Blowing Away", "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Save The Country" and "Black Patch"; BS&T and Peter Paul & Mary - "And When I Die," and Three Dog Night and Maynard Ferguson with the classic Eli's Coming.
And Streisand's take on "Stoney End", "Time and Love", and "Hands off the Man (Flim Flam Man)." Nyro's best-selling single was her recording of Carole King and Gerry Goffin's "Up on the Roof."
I didn't know about her. Thanks for the info. And checking out 3DN video I also watched a performance of "Shambala". Most everyone else might think that song is goofy, but it's one of my all-time favs!
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One of my old favorite albums. There are some stupendous writing-talented people out there who never receive their due...
ReplyDeleteI grew up loving those hit radio covers, but I've recently heard Laura's original versions, and I was amazed to discover they are a thousand times better! It's a real shame the powers that be on the radio never gave her awesome originals a chance. The covers are nice, but Laura put so much more Heart and soul into those songs, you can tell they belong to HER.
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