Laura Gibson
USA- Laura Gibson: American Folk Singer and Musician
- Early Life and Education
- Collaboration with Colin Meloy and European Tour
- Collaborations and Project with The Portland Cello Project
- Early Releases and Covers
- 'Beasts of Seasons' and Reflections on Mortality
- 'La Grande' and Producer Role
- 'Bridge Carols' Experimental Project
Laura Gibson: American Folk Singer and Musician
Laura Gibson is an American folk singer, musician, and singer-songwriter. She is currently signed to the independent American label 'Hush Records'. She has released three full-length albums: 'If You Come to Greet Me' in 2006, 'Beasts of Seasons' in 2009, and 'La Grande' in 2012.
Early Life and Education
Gibson grew up in Coquille, Oregon and later attended Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon.
Collaboration with Colin Meloy and European Tour
In 2008, Gibson toured the United States as the opening act for Colin Meloy, the lead vocalist and songwriter of the indie folk-rock band 'The Decemberists'. She also provided vocal harmonies on his mini-album 'Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke' released in April 2008. In 2009, Gibson embarked on her first European tour with Micah Rabwin and Sean Ogilvie, both members of the indie folk-rock band 'Musée Mécanique'.
Collaborations and Project with The Portland Cello Project
Gibson has collaborated with various other musicians, including Laura Veirs, Danny Seim, and Rachel Blumberg. She has also collaborated with the cello ensemble 'The Portland Cello Project' from Portland, Oregon.
Early Releases and Covers
Before releasing her debut studio album 'If You Come to Greet Me', Gibson released the mini-album 'Amends' in 2004. Another mini-album, 'Six White Horses: Blues & Traditionals Vol. 1', was released in 2006. Gibson recorded a cover version of the song 'Edelweiss' from the musical 'The Sound of Music' for the charity CD 'Sing Me To Sleep – Indie Lullabies' by 'American Laundromat Records'.
'Beasts of Seasons' and Reflections on Mortality
Her album 'Beasts of Seasons' in 2009 can be seen as a collection of nine meditative reflections on mortality. Each composition on the album revolves around death, reflecting the transient nature of life.
'La Grande' and Producer Role
For her album 'La Grande' in 2012, Gibson took on the role of producer for the first time. Many of her friends and colleagues were involved in the production, but it was Laura herself who made the final decisions on the album's sound. As a result, 'La Grande' turned out to be richer and more candid in sound than any of her previous releases.
'Bridge Carols' Experimental Project
Together with sound artist and composer Ethan Rose, Gibson presented an experimental project called 'Bridge Carols'. This project featured "vocal collages" created from Gibson's original improvisations, pieced together to create unique songs. The lyrics were intuitively selected from her "unused writings," old recordings that had not evolved into fully-fledged poems or songs. The creative duo produced individual compositions, music accompanying visuals, and stunning sound installations.
