Laura Bird Biography
"Laura Bird's songs speak to the strength, grace and truth she finds in the extraordinary and the everyday."
Jan Vanderhorst CKPC Just Us Folk, Brantford, ON
A generous performer and favourite at songwriter-in-the-round concert presentations, the stories behind the songs are just one aspect that audience patrons adore about this songstress. With her finely honed guitar work, a painters' eye for lush images and her sultry, smokey voice 'often compared to warm honey or dark chocolate', you'll want to close your eyes and watch the mind movies inspired by Laura's soundtrack.
Orangeville Ontario based musician Laura Bird was raised along the mighty St. Lawrence River in the 1000 Islands town of Gananoque. From the moment Laura saw a CBC documentary featuring a late 1960's Mariposa Folk Festival, she knew she was destined to play. Getting her first guitar at 10 years old and discovering gems in her parents' record collection - Ian & Sylvia, Joan Baez, 1940's jazz standards - this self-taught guitarist was performing by her eleventh birthday.
Her musical and artistic endeavours would provide both muse and struggle through three decades of Bird’s life. Trying to find equilibrium between her successful 15-year design career in the exhibition and display industry and her growing fervor to pursue the music that was her true hearts passion, she finally made the official leap in 1999. Since the release of Laura’s debut CD Dreamwalker in 2000 co-produced with award winning engineer/producer Karen Kane, Bird has comfortably found that balance. With her main focus on writing, performing and recording her music, she maintains a freelance graphic design career and continues to be an active contributor to her larger musical community through a variety of volunteer organizations as well as inspiring and mentoring a roster of guitar students.
Following the release of her first recording Laura has shared her songs with audiences across southern Ontario making appearances at Summerfolk, Mariposa, Quinte, Headwaters Arts and Blue Skies Festivals, establishing herself as an accomplished songwriter distinguished by a compelling, sultry voice and strong musicianship.
Her newly released 2008 sophomore album, The Water In Between, co-produced with Gene Gouthro, has been garnering both critical acclaim and a steady stream of invitations to perform, notably at this summer’s Red Roof Women’s Music Festival as well as the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival in Nova Scotia. Her fall and winter tour schedule includes concerts for Orillia, Kitchener and Haliburton Folk Society audiences with plans to tour the east and west coasts of Canada during 2010.
"Laura Bird's sophomore release The Water in Between is a delight in every way."
Robert Reid Guelph Mercury November 2008
In addition to concentrating on her own musical endeavours, Laura served on both the OCFF and ArtsCan Circle Board of Directors; she co-founded the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award; co-founded the Headwaters Acoustic Music Society and recently retired as Artistic Director of the Live! At the Opera House concert series in Orangeville.
THE WATER IN BETWEEN
A beautiful collection of fourteen original compositions painted on a colourful canvas of sultry vocals and stellar musicianship.
“Laura Bird's sophomore release The Water in Between is a delight in every way.” Robert Reid NIGHTLIFE STAFF Guelph-Mercury THE WATERLOO RECORD
“I'm sitting here listening to your new CD. What a delight it is! I love your voice and the songs and here's the bonus: it's one of the most gorgeously produced albums I've heard in quite a while! Just my cup of tea: clean, musical, lush and real. “
Paul Mills ~ Musician, Producer The Mill Stream, Toronto, ON
"Laura Bird's songs speak to the strength, grace and truth she finds in the extraordinary and the everyday." Jan Vanderhorst CKPC Just Us Folk, Brantford, ON
“The melodic development of Laura’s songs is solid and infectious, the lyrics always poignant and intelligent, poetic, earthy, and dramatic. Combine these ingredients with a voice dark, smooth, and full of richness and you got yourself some mighty swell musical stories well worth the listening." Lewis Melville ~ Songwriter, Musician, Producer
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