Who is Laura Joy?

Chicago-based singer-songwriter Laura Joy has been known to quell dark, angry bars full of ornery old Irishmen. Drawing comparisons that range from Joni Mitchell to Alison Krauss, Laura’s percussive finger picking and buoyant voice have graced audiences from as far as the Sun Belt to the streets of Manhattan.

In third grade, Laura was the awkward new kid. With her lofty dreams of popularity shattered by unfashionable eye wear and a shy demeanor, Laura tried out for the school musical. She landed a solo and has been singing her way through life ever since. In college, Laura started playing guitar and writing songs because it was fun, and fun was necessary. Music didn’t come into her life as a vocation; it was just something that had always made her heart feel good. Guitar in tow, Laura received her BA in English, moved to New York City, fell madly in love, and got married.

Life moved fast in the city. On her way to work, Laura’s feet smeared NYC guerilla artist De La Vega’s sidewalk chalk quote, “The pressure of survival in the big city will make you lose sight of your dream… Hang in there.” She was hanging in there, but her dream of making music was put on hold when her husband lost his job and they had to cover a newly acquired mortgage. At the same time, Laura’s mom’s health began to rapidly decline, forcing her to make frequent trips to Arizona while balancing life in New York. Music sat quietly, waiting, while Laura held up to three jobs at a time, including a few well-regarded positions in the arts as a project coordinator for high-profile jazz artists and as a manager of a small off-Broadway theatre on the East Village. She played gigs at night, doing shows across New York state and in Phoenix whenever she was able.

From 2007 – 2010, Laura was featured in the Jezebel Music Songwriter Showcase at Laila Lounge in Brooklyn and was a member of NY/NJ Port Authority’s exclusive “Tunes in the Terminal” program. She opened for Nedra Johnson and Staceyann Chin in Brooklyn (CattyShack, Michfest Halfway Soirée) and shared a night in Phoenix, AZ with Raina Rose and Namoli Brennet. For 3 years, Laura helped organize and host the successful Paradigm Shift Event Series highlighting feminist inspired art and performance at various venues across The Lower East Side in NYC.

When Laura’s marriage fell apart in 2010, she started gathering the materials for her latest CD. “What I Know” was released on June 30^th, 2011. It was recorded and mixed by Grammy-award winning engineer, Dae Bennett, and produced by Suzi Reynolds. The well-received album is a collection of songs about what Laura knows: love, laughter, and heartbreak. With the CD pressed and a new job lined up, Laura packed up her belongings and moved to Chicago to start over. From there, Laura continues to play gigs nationwide, splitting her time between Arizona, Chicago and New York.

Laura is dedicated to sustainability. At its most basic definition, sustainability is the capacity to endure. With life providing such ample song material these days, Laura plans to not only endure, but thrive as a folk musician in all possible realms: social responsibility (stand up for what you believe in and take action!), environmental responsibility (watch that footprint!), and musical responsibility (DIY musician know-how!). Laura’s adventures in “Folk Sustainability” (a new endeavor for 2012) will be regularly documented in her blog.

REVIEWS

“When you listen to Laura Joy, it sparks a happy feeling deep inside of you… although most artists have a sound; Laura Joy has her sound.”
- Vernon Tart, CultureBomb.net

“Laura Joy is a breath of fresh air. With a percussive fingerstyle guitar reminiscent of Ani DiFranco and a songwriting flair that recalls the likes of Joni Mitchell and Rebecca Martin, Laura Joy crafts personal tales in song that are both touching and entertaining.”
- Wildy Haskell, Wildy’s World

“Folk music so pretty you’ll have to stop your ears from floating away. “
- TheFreeGeorge.com

New CD Release: What I Know

What I Know was recorded in late January 2011 at Bennett Studios in Englewood NJ. Laura is joined by Kelly Zullo on guitar and Rob Coover on bass, mandolin and banjo. The finished product is more organic (less pesticides, or rather… more unplugged) than her previous recording, Six Flights. You wanted something more reflective of smaller, more intimate shows. Ask and you shall receive. For those of you who still want to rock out to a full band, Six Flights is available right under What I Know… on the Fancy Store Page.

Latest reviews for What I Know may be found here:

culturebomb.net
Wildy’s World