Laura Veirs

Laura Veirs
Background information
Birth name Laura Pauline Veirs
Born (1973-10-24) October 24, 1973
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Origin Portland, Oregon
Genres Folk, Chamber folk
Labels Raven Marching Band, Nonesuch, Bella Union

Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter.

Early life

Veirs was raised in Colorado, studied geology and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College, worked as a translator for a geological expedition in China, and now lives in Portland, Oregon.

While growing up, she heard folk-country, classical, and pop music at home. However, she didn't "listen seriously," she says, until her 20s.[1] At Carleton, she joined an all-girl punk band called Rair Kx!.[2] After graduation, her taste moved to older country and folk, and during her time in China she began writing lyrics.[1]

Career

In 1999, Veirs released a self-titled album, which was recorded live and featuring just herself and guitar. 2003 saw the release of Troubled by the Fire, accompanied by veteran musicians such as Bill Frisell. She then signed to Nonesuch and released Carbon Glacier. Year of Meteors followed in August 2005. Year of Meteors was selected by the New York Times as a "critics choice".[3]

Veirs released Saltbreakers in 2007. July Flame appeared in January 2010 on her Raven Marching band label. The Washington Post praised it.[4]

In November 2011, Veirs released the album Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs for Children. The album presents mostly traditional songs, and features an array of guest musicians, including Colin Meloy, Jim James and Bela Fleck.[5] Tumble Bee won a Parents' Choice Award in 2012.

In September 2012 her first feature film soundtrack was released: Hello I Must Be Going. The exclusive soundtrack features eight instrumental versions of previously released songs, five catalog favorites and one new vocal track, Spring Song.

In August 2013 she released "Warp and Weft" to widespread critical acclaim.

In 2015 she worked on the album Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens, and her husband, Tucker Martine, engineered some of the album as well.

Veirs was lead songwriter for the 2016 album “case/lang/veirs”, a collaborative project between Veirs, k.d. lang and Neko Case. The album and subsequent tour received universal acclaim.[6]

Personal life

Veirs's husband, Portland-based producer Tucker Martine, has produced her last nine albums, and plays many instruments on the records as well. Their first son, Tennessee Veirs Martine, was born in April 2010. In May 2013 they welcomed a second son, Oz Rhodes Martine.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

Soundtracks

Compilation appearances

References

  1. 1 2 "Biography". lauraveirs.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  2. ↑ Wheat, Mark (3 March 2010). "Laura Veirs performs in The Current studios". Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  3. ↑ Critic's Choice: New CD's; Year of Meteors; Laura Veirs
  4. ↑ "Our Review". Washington Post. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  5. ↑ "First Listen: Laura Veirs, 'Tumble Bee'". 30 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "case lang veirs". Metacritic.
  7. ↑ Salmon, Ben (22 October 2010). "Laura Veirs, Weinland play Bend". The Bend Bulletin. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  8. ↑ Boilen, Bob (December 21, 2009). "Exclusive First Listen: Laura Veirs". npr.org. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  9. ↑ http://caselangveirs.com/
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