Biography
Bio
"The first thing that strikes me is the beauty and clarity of Lauren's voice. It's like discovering some new instrument that combines qualities of fiddle and clarinet, fresh but with deep roots, accompanied by some pretty impressive guitar work. Lauren's music is rich with ingredients that nourish the human spirit."
- Phil Wiggins, of Cephas and Wiggins
Lauren is a charming 'songster', an interpreter of a wide range of music rooted in our American cultural heritage. Much of her material comes directly from some of America's greatest folk and blues artists and National Heritage Fellows. She is known for her voice, which slides through old lyrics like clear water down a smooth creek bed. Her performances are memorable for the authentic breadth of her material: from unaccompanied ballads, to boozy Memphis blues, to old time banjo tunes, to old country songs, children's music, dance tunes and eclectic modern folk. She is a shape shifter, in one song making the willow weep and in another making the werewolf howl. Not bound to just recreate old music, she knows how to pick a song with 'good bones' and make those bones dance. "She is a true entertainer, weaving the stories and history of the music into her performance and connecting with her audience on a personal level." (Gray Eubank, Director, Portland Christmas Revels). "I just collect, interpret and play the music that strikes my heart. It's the power of the strike that pulls me into a particular song."
Lauren grew up in New England where she studied classical guitar as a child and became infected by the spirit of fiddle music at contra dances in western Massachusetts. She wrote her thesis on American folk music at Reed College before spending a number of years playing in small ensembles while founding, administering, and teaching in independent schools. During this time, she toured in New England, Ireland and the Pacific Northwest.
She retired from teaching in 2003 and dedicated herself to full-time performing and recording. One look at her website reveals the ever increasing number of festival, concert and workshop dates, in solo, various duos and with the bluesy trio Southern Jumbo.
Her first CD, Some Old Lonesome Day, was #14 on the folk dj charts for the year, and the second CD, Two Wings, went immediately to #1 and was an Independent Music award nomination for album of the year.
Lauren's passion for learning directly from other musicians has led her into the homes and front porches of the musical legends who passed on much of the material and stylistic qualities she presents today. Her endearing performances spring from time spent with such legendary musicians as John Cephas, Ginny Hawker, Etta Baker, Carl Rutherford and Howard Armstrong. She enjoys recalling the twinkle in John Jackson's eye when the two of them sat alone together in an old school house and he taught her "Come On Over to My House". Another vivid and hilarious memory involves a late night music jam in which the inimitable Smokey McKeen, Maine troubadour and Lauren's master's thesis mentor, concluded, "Girl, that was a two credit party!"
Instrumentation
Lauren is sometimes a solo artist, but often Nationally respected sidemen and women join Lauren in concert - mostly in duo and trio configurations. Typically, musicians compliment her wooden and resonator guitars, mando, and banjo playing with; humour, slide, harmonica, horns and often upright bass. Celtic act features harp and rich harmony singing.
Discography
*Some Old Lonesome Day--Wilson River Records, 2002. Available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/sheehan
*Lay Down My Old Guitar/A Tribute to John Jackson--Centrum Recordings, 2003
*Two Wings-Wilson River Records, 2005. #7 FAR Chart for 2005, #24 Folk DJ Chart, for 2005. Available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/sheehan2
Links
| http://www.laurensheehanmusic.com |
| website |