Laura Nyro | |
|---|---|
 Nyro in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Laura Nigro |
| Born | October 18, 1947 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 8, 1997 (aged 49) Danbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, lyricist, singer, producer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1966–1972; 1976–1997 |
| Labels | Verve, Columbia |
| Website | lauranyro |
Laura Nyro (/ˈnɪəroʊ/ NEER-oh;[1] born Laura Nigro; October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997) was an American songwriter and singer. She achieved critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968) and New York Tendaberry (1969), and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and the 5th Dimension recording her songs. Wider recognition for her artistry was posthumous, while her contemporaries such as Elton John idolized her.[2] She was praised for her emotive three-octave mezzo-soprano voice.[3]
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", and "Save the Country"; Blood, Sweat & Tears and Peter, Paul and Mary with "And When I Die"; Three Dog Night and Maynard Ferguson with "Eli's Comin'"; and Barbra Streisand with "Stoney End", "Time and Love", and "Hands off the Man (Flim Flam Man)". Nyro's best-selling single was her recording of Carole King's and Gerry Goffin's "Up on the Roof".[4]
Nyro was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010, and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.[5][6]
- ^ "Inventing David Geffen". PBS 'American Masters'. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
- ^ "Laura Nyro: the phenomenal singers' singer the 60s overlooked". The Guardian. July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ "Obituary: Laura Nyro". The Independent. October 22, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ "Laura Nyro Biography & Awards". Billboard. New York. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ "The Wall Street Journal". Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ Graff, Gary (December 7, 2011). "Rock Hall Inductees 2012: Guns N' Roses, Beastie Boys Make Grade". Billboard. New York, NY. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
Cleveland Calls Up Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faces, Laura Nyro, Donovan