Synopses & Reviews
Laura Nyro was a beloved and pioneering singer-songwriter of the 1960s and 1970s, whose songs were covered with great success by the Fifth Dimension; Blood, Sweat & Tears; Three Dog Night; and Barbra Streisand. This first biography uncovers previously never revealed details, including a love affair with Jackson Browne, and her relationship with painter Maria Desiderio.
Unappreciated in her time, Nyros legacy is currently experiencing a revival. With her groundbreakingly honest and passionate lyrics, her unusual and innovative rhythms and melody, Nyros influence is still felt by singers and songwriters today.
Review
"Captures the essence of a widely admired, improbably successful artist." Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Singer-songwriter Laura Nyro set the table for singers like Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos, and Fiona Apple, bringing an uncompromising attitude and wild talent to the music industry of the mid-60s. Her musical influences ran the gamut from jazz to folk, and the royalties from the songs she wrote for the likes of Three Dog night and the Fifth Dimension "Stoned Soul Picnic" and "Eli's Coming" among them kept her in a position to follow her muse wherever it led. This first biography of Nyro contains scores of album reviews and details of her love life, as well as a fan's uncritical but loving perspective.
About the Author
Michele Kort, Los Angeles-based writer and editor, has been a journalist for over twenty years. Writing for the
Los Angeles Times, Songwriter, Ms., Los Angeles Magazine, L.A. Reader, Redbook, InStyle, The Advocate, and
L.A. Weekly, she has won numerous awards. She also coauthored the memoir
The End of Innocence with Chastity Bono.