Going Down to Stoney End

I just found out moments ago (Thank the Lawd for google searches) that Columbia Records released this Laura Nyro album back in June. It's a remaster of a tape that was found of her in concert (just her and a piano, nothing else) on May 30, 1971 at the Fillmore East in NYC (less than a month before that famed concert hall closed forever) I've only heard a couple of those snippets/samples that Amazon allows you to hear but it sound purdy gosh darn good for a 33 year old audio tape. There's a couple of never-before-released songs on there as well: American Dove and Mother Earth.

For those who don't know her, (now lets see how much I can get right) she was basically discovered by David Geffen back in 1966 at about 19 years old. She was a singer, songwriter, and musician who is pro'lly best known for writing songs that other people made famous such as Stoned Soul Picnic, Wedding Bell Blues, Eli's Comin' and And When I Die. It's too bad that she was not more well known for her singing since she had a great voice and range and she was able to sing folk, blues, jazz, gospel and rock. (Her cover of Up On the Roof is incredible) Several female singers from the 70's onwards have said she was a major influence on them. She put out a few albums over the years and did concerts as well. Alas, she died back in 1997 at the age of 49 of ovarian cancer.

I first got turned on to her back in 1968 when my sister brought home her first album "Eli and the Thirteen Confession" and I was only able to see her in concert once back in 1975 at Carnegie Hall.

I'm a happy camper now that I have it on my Wish List and also know what to get my sister for ger birthday (or maybe Channukah?)