Katey Laurel

Artist Information

Biography

Katey Laurel’s emergence as a singer/songwriter powerfully straddling the line between Triple A and Adult Contemporary formats will make you think twice the next time you see the kid in the band carrying that seemingly cumbersome French Horn.

Laurel’s classical mastery of that instrument earned the Denver based performer a scholarship to the exclusive private Huntington University in Indiana, but her passion for expressing herself through songwriting with acoustic guitar and piano ultimately led her home to Colorado. She has since performed multiple venues (The Walnut Room, Soiled Dove Underground, Gothic Theatre) and won numerous accolades in high profile songwriting competitions. Laurel follows her well received debut studio album Upstairs, Downstairs with From Here, a compelling new eight song EP produced by renowned artist/producer Neilson Hubbard (Glen Phillips from Toad The Wet Sprocket, Kate York).

From Here’s first single “The Wheel” is featured on the respected A Taste of Triple A sampler, considered throughout the radio industry to be a strong indicator of the next “big thing” in the format. Being chosen for this compilation is simply the latest career coup for Laurel, who was a finalist in the Tucson Folk Festival, a winner and alternate in two categories of the Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Contest in Winfield, KS and a showcase artist selected for the Midpoint Music Festival in Cincinnati, OH. Offering the perfect blend of “catchy” and “intelligent,” the multi-talented performer’s music has been featured as part of Microsoft Windows 7 “Playlist 7” and Heineken “Ultimate Playlist” sponsored song programs and she was one of 7 national finalists in the Nine West “Voices of Vintage America” contest.

Her fan base has broadened as she’s shared stages with Katie Herzig, Matt Morris, Bill Mallonee, Braddigan (of Dispatch), The Bittersweets, Trevor Hall, Reed Waddle and Eilen Jewell. Laurel has also been a featured guest artist on Denver’s 9 News Peacock Café, Fox 31, Channel 2, KRFC Ft. Collins Live at Lunch and Boulder’s KGNU Kabaret and Castle Rock radio shows. Her songs have been aired on Alice 105.9, 97.3 KBCO, 99.5 The Mountain and other stations.

All of this is a long way from a fascinating, vagabond-like childhood worthy of an adventure novel, but always full of love and incredible music. Up until the age of four when life circumstances landed her family in small town Colorado, Laurel lived the footloose life of a seasonal migrant’s child, climbing apple orchard ladders, digging in the dirt and playing Lincoln Logs while her parents planted trees or picked fruit everywhere from Washington State to Georgia. Her free spirit and variety of musical tastes and styles began during her childhood in the ‘80s in a Volkswagen bus, a teepee and a one-room log cabin with Fleetwood Mac, Eagles and Emmylou Harris spinning on a record player. Her parents loved classic rock and bluegrass, but during college—even while majoring in French Horn Performance—she gravitated towards alternative rock and also formed a folk-rock girl group called Alabaster.

Laurel’s early goal to play French Horn in an orchestra on movie soundtracks had a unique, indirect influence on her approach to the making of From Here. “My songs have always been deeply personal and introspective,” she says. “With Neilson helping me choose my best songs and liberating me to focus on the writing and singing, one of our main goals became to put together sounds that would provide the right vibe for film and TV. I have shifted gears, but my dream remains the same—to create music that helps set the tone of life both on the screen and off. On Upstairs, Downstairs, I ended up choosing from a variety of sounds and styles that I identified with as a writer, while From Here has a more cohesive, consistent flow. The album title reflects my love for this project, and the hope and potential surrounding it. I’m saying that this is what I see from where my life is at right now—and it’s a good place.”

Laurel is such a heartfelt songwriter that even her lightest pop tune—“The Wheel”—is a deeply metaphorical statement about the reality of relationships. Like the structure of a wheel, if one part breaks, it affects the operation of the whole mechanism. More specifically, the track draws to mind images of a minor wreck (think bicycle), and emergency response vehicles coming to the rescue. The title track “From Here”, featuring Katie Herzig’s vocals on the bridge, is a deeply introspective song. Her lyrics ask the universal question “Is this all there is?” and wonder why we fail to see life’s many blessings. She explores the possibility of “the other side” and asserts her belief in a spiritual realm. Matthew Perryman Jones’ voice blends beautifully with Laurel’s on the playfully rhythmic, folk-pop influenced “Everything I Love,” which the singer describes perfectly as “a cute, happy sounding love song about how a person makes you feel when they hold your universe in their hands.” She uses noisemakers and bells to illuminate the joy, which also emanates from lyrical references to firecrackers and the deep blue sea.

“As enjoyable as it is to write and record in the studio, I love connecting with people in a live setting,” Laurel says. “Seeing people have a good time and hearing how my songs touch their lives makes my day. Making music is about the fun of performing but also about making that universal connection with the audience. Then there’s also the spontaneity factor because the way I perform a song is never the same twice. It’s always a little surprise to see what version comes out, and that keeps performing fresh. I also love the excitement that comes with writing new music. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to reach more people, including young kids, with every new release and performance onstage. It’s about appreciating the little moments day to day while moving forward to reach my musical goals.”

Instrumentation

Katey Laurel (can perform solo) - vocals, keys, acoustic guitar
(band) - various session artists cover upright and electric bass, electric guitar, keys, percussion, cello and violin

Discography

"Sometimes" - c. 2004 Roaring Twenties Records
"Confessions" - c. 2007 Roaring Twenties Records
"Canvas Sky and Paper Moon" - c. 2007 Roaring Twenties Records
"Upstairs, Downstairs" - c. 2008 Roaring Twenties Records
"Upstairs, Downstairs B-Sides" - c. 2008 Roaring Twenties Records
"Katey Laurel Live at the Walnut Room" - c. 2008 Roaring Twenties Records
"From Here" EP - c. 2011 Roaring Twenties Records

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Twitter

Audio

• 03 The Wheel
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• 02 Everything I Love
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• 01 Begin Again
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• Twentysomething
  Listen  
• Spiral-bound Notebook
  Listen  
• Somebody Like You
  Listen  
• Blue Sky's Comin'
  Listen  
• Two Birds (Jingle Bells mix)
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Twentysomething
• No Man's Land
• Somebody Like You
• Somebody Like You
• Everything I Love
• The Wheel
• Blue Sky's Comin'

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Various Quotes 2011 [+ Show ]
  

  “Laurel’s unique sound is one that will operate as a blueprint for further work in the singer-songwr...“Laurel’s unique sound is one that will operate as a blueprint for further work in the singer-songwriter genre.”
  - James McQuiston, NeuFutur Magazine (Jan 12, 2011)
  
  "Katey Laurel has one of those unmistakable voices that is instantly recognized."
  - Jeff McQuilkin, Oomph Music Blog (Jan 15, 2011)
  
  “What a great song!” (regarding “The Wheel”)
  - Laura Slavin, Music Dept. Liaison - Pacifica Radio KPFT 90.1 FM, Houston, TX (Jan 2011)
  
  “LOVE your stuff!”
  - Jeremy Padgett, On Air Talent / Executive Producer - Dom & Jane Morning Show, Mix 100.3- KIMN FM, Denver CO (January 2011)
  
  “It is absolutely a great addition to our station!”
  - Steve Furness, Music Director 96.5 FM WCTG, Chincoteague, VA (Jan 2011)
  
  “Produced by Nielsen Hubbard (Glen Phillips [Toad the Wet Sprocket], Kate York), From Here sounds like it was crafted specifically for the AAA/Americana and adult contemporary crossover radio stations it is already making inroads onto.”
  - Chris Kresge, The Rocky Mountain Music Network/The Colorado Sound, KRFC FM, Ft. Collins, CO (Jan 18, 2011)
  
  “Every single song on ‘From Here’ has got heart, which proves that Laurel is as genuine as they come.”
  - Jimmy Rae, Skope Magazine (Jan 19, 2011)
  
  "'From Here' is a stellar eight-song EP that proves that one of alt-country's finest new voices and writers is here to stay."
  - Brian Lush, Rockwired.com (Jan 23, 2011)
  
  "'Everything I Love' makes a perfect soundtrack to an intimate Valentine’s Day walk outside, candlelight dinner or ferry ride across the river."
  - Brian Ball, host of Women’s Radio Music Review www.womensradio.com (Feb 9, 2011)
  
  "A honey-voiced singer/ songwriter along the lines of Sarah McLachlan, Ingrid Michaelson and Emmylou Harris, Denver- based musician Katey Laurel’s latest EP “From Here” is a delight. Keep your eye on this up-and-comer."
  - Jeffrey Sisk, The Daily News, McKeesport, PA (Feb 9, 2011)
  
  “I love the single.”
  - Valerie DeLong, Former VP of Radio and Video Promotion for Universal/Motown Records and owner of Moxie Entertainment (Jan 19, 2011)
  
  “What’s not to love about the talented and beautiful Katey Laurel?”
  - Richie Frieman, PensEyeView.com (Jan 18, 2011)
  
  “Denver's Katey Laurel has songs with a beauty in them that deserve a listen.”
  - Melissa Kucirek, Suite101.com (Jan 16, 2011)
  
  “Listeners might compare her voice to Quinn Fabray of Fox TV's Glee (played by Dianna Agron) meets Colbie Caillat.”
  - Suite101.com (Jan 16, 2011)
  
  “She has a perfect grasp on social media, and DIY spirit that’s unmatched.”
  - Aaron Zimmer, NYC web designer, musician and performing artist, www.lavalounge.net (Jan 2011)
  
  "‘From Here’ - the song is a bullet to the heart; very true and honest!”
  - Stacy Price, fellow Denver musician, teacher and performing artist (Jan 2011)
  
  “If confidence and an 'as a matter of fact' tone are any indication, look out Pop World, here she comes.”
  - Brian Rutherford, www.musicemissions.com (2010)
  
  "I've heard the Natalie Merchant comparisons with Katey, but my vote is Aimee Mann on a sweet little hayride."
  - Doug Anderson, Colorado Music Buzz (Feb 01, 2009)
  
  "Laurel has all the bittersweet soul of Macy Gray and poetic musing of Natalie Merchant."
  - Jeremy Johnson, The Metropolitan (Jan 22, 2009)
  
  “Katey Laurel's voice is like a ripe piece of delicious fruit. Listening to it can seem more an experience of flavor than sound. Moreover, she is so comfortable with it that her tendency is simply to let it come out of her mouth, like an exhalation. She never belts. Doesn’t need to.”
  - Quentin Young, Longmont Times-Call, "Unframed" (December 2008)
  
  “Laurel's alternately wispy and husky voice makes a greater impression when it's operating in darker settings, as on 'Earthquake' and See-Through.'.”
  - Michael Roberts, Denver Westword (December 2008)
  
  “With an unforgettable voice and an ability to connect with listeners that's a little unreal, Katey Laurel's debut album slips quietly into [my] top 40 at the end of the year, but once you hear this young lady, you won't be able to put her CD down.”
  - Wildy Haskell, Wildy's World (December 2008)
  
  “Her debut album is a self-written, self-produced jewel.”
  - The Tomahawk, Mountain City, TN (2004)
  
  “Think Joan Baez fronting 10,000 Maniacs hanging out in the studio with James Blunt and you get an idea of her soaring, smooth resonance.”
  - Colorado Music Buzz, Littleton, CO (2005)
  
  “This is the freshest album I've heard in a long, long time and an instant favorite.”
  - Alan Haber, host of Pure Pop Radio--WEBR, Fairfax, VA (2007)
  
  “A natural born singer-songwriter…Katey has a voice like Emmylou Harris and a story-telling knack like the great Joan Baez.”
  - Samantha Donen, The Vail Trail (2005)
  
  “Katey Laurel’s biggest fans are people just like her. They are teenagers and twentysomethings who are trying to carve their own paths while trying to ignore a world of voices telling them to do more, do faster and do it all by age 30…”
  - Autumn Phillips, The Steamboat Pilot and Today (2004)
  
  “One of Denver’s brightest new songwriting stars.”
  - Ed Skibbe, Nashville songwriter and host of Denver’s D’Note Spotlight and Western Beat
  

• Review from “The Shuffle” [+ Show ]
  

  Kate Laurel Smith, Sometimes: An outstanding full-length debut album, Sometimes is independently p...Kate Laurel Smith, Sometimes: An outstanding full-length debut album, Sometimes is independently produced by Colorado recording artist Kate Laurel Smith. A natural born singer-songwriter, Kate plays piano and guitar throughout the album, accompanied by bass, drums and a hint of harmonica. Kate has a voice like Emmylou Harris, and a story-telling knack like the great Joan Baez. Sometimes has soul, bluegrass, folk and jazz. Check her out yourself tonight, October 20, at 9 p.m. at Loaded Joe’s. Web link: katelaurelsmith.com
  -Samantha Donen
  

• “Singing Over the Pressure; Songwriter writes about being a twentysomething” [+ Show ]
  

  Kate Laurel Smith’s biggest fans are people just like her. They are teenagers and twentysomethings ...Kate Laurel Smith’s biggest fans are people just like her. They are teenagers and twentysomethings who are trying to carve their own paths while trying to ignore a world of voices telling them to do more, do faster and do it all by age 30.
  
  At 24, she writes about that pressure in the song “Twentysomething.”
  
  “Twentysomething hit me just today/Right between the eyes/Woke up with little at all to say/And a world to realize.”
  
  The song is the most popular track on her 2004 release “Sometimes.” The inspiration to write it came while sitting at Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, listening to a talk by author Margaret Feinberg, who wrote a book of the same title, “Twentysomething.”
  
  “She was talking about the impact society has on young people and how you feel you have to accomplish everything by 30 or you are a failure,” Smith said. She went home and wrote the song in less than an hour. “I feel that same pressure. In the music world, it feels like if you aren’t signed by 25 you have no chance, and I’m coming to that pivotal time.”
  
  Smith, who grew up in Oak Creek and graduated from Soroco High School in 1999, moved to Denver after college to make a name for herself. Her first album has done well, mostly selling online at CDBaby.com and through MySpace.com, and she’s hard at work on a second album due out in March.
  
  Anyone who knew her in high school might be surprised by the direction her music has taken. Smith earned her bachelor’s degree in classical music performance. She played the French horn. For years, she imagined her career leading to a chair in a large city’s orchestra. Then she discovered songwriting.
  
  Smith doesn’t even flinch when she announces that she sold her French horn to finance her first album.
  
  “It just seemed like the next step, and I had to use the resources I had,” she said.
  
  Smith will perform a solo acoustic show tonight, playing her guitar and keyboard and a set list of original songs.
  
  “My music is for people who want to dig deeper,” she said. “It’s for people who want to relate to the music and feel a lot through it.”
  
  - Autumn Phillips, Arts and Entertainment writer for Four Points
  
  
  

• “Budding artist has local roots and a new CD” [+ Show ]
  

  If you haven’t already heart of Kate and her music—you soon will. The granddaughter of Harry J. Smi...If you haven’t already heart of Kate and her music—you soon will. The granddaughter of Harry J. Smith, Sr. and niece of Harry “Joe” Smith of Smith and Cockett law firm (both residents of Mountain City), Kate is an up and coming 24 year-old musician based out of the Denver, Colorado area. Her biological father is Mitchell Smith (a 1974 graduate of Johnson County High School), who resides on nearby Whitetop Mountain in Virginia.
  
  Kate spent some of her early years in the hills of Eastern Tennessee and honed her musical skills in the remote mountains of Northwestern Colorado, living in the small coal mining town of Oak Creek. She studied music and graduated from Huntington College in Indiana.
  
  Her debut CD Sometimes is an independent (“indie”) self-written and produced jewel—and is available from Awarestore.com on the worldwide web—or can be purchased at Victoria Rose, just up the street from the Tomahawk office. Her new CD Confessions will be out soon. Check her out online at katelaurelsmith.com and join her growing local fan club.
  
  

• Kate Laurel Smith, Sometimes [+ Show ]
  

  Kate Laurel Smith, Sometimes With influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to John Mayer to Appalachi...Kate Laurel Smith, Sometimes
  
  With influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to John Mayer to Appalachian folk music, Colorado’s Kate Laurel Smith churns out some of the finest Americana/Folk/Alt. Country around. Check out her soulful latest, Sometimes.
  

• "Who's Making Noise? - Kate Laurel Smith [+ Show ]
  

  Having cut her teeth on bluegrass and Appalachian Mountain folk music and polishing her rough edges ...Having cut her teeth on bluegrass and Appalachian Mountain folk music and polishing her rough edges with a classical music performance degree, twenty-five year old singer/songwriter Kate Laurel Smith brings a diverse musical background to the Front Range Music Scene. Pulling from artists such as Ben Folds, Over the Rhine, Natalie Merchant, Damien Rice, Elliott Smith and John Mayer, Kate has developed a unique sound that must be heard to be appreciated. Think Joan Baez fronting 10,000 maniacs hanging out with James Blunt in the studio and you get an idea of her soaring, smooth resonance. August of 2004 saw the release of Kate's self-produced debut album, "Sometimes," a homegrown diamond in the rough made up of musical snapshots from her first two years of writing. After a season of penning verses, practicing and home-recording in her mountain-town apartment, Kate packed up her life and moved to Denver in search of venues, fans, fellow musicians and the promise of the broader musical horizons of the city. A forty-some odd songs later, Kate has plans to release her sophomore album, "Confessions," a collection of intimate songs written and recorded upon her arrival in Denver. Catch Kate at Stella's on August 19th. (listen if you like Norah Jones, Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan).

Setlist

Katey's typical set list includes up to three hours of originals and covers in the genres of Roots/Americana, Folk, Alternative and Adult Contemporary (including Sarah McLachlan, Coldplay, John Mayer, Bill Withers and Jackson Browne).

Basic Requirements

Calendar