Remembering Laura Nyro

Laura Nigro was born October 18, 1947 in The Bronx, NY. She changed her name to Nyro as she felt Nigro was racist. As a child, Nyro taught herself piano. She spent a lot of time reading poetry, and listening to her mother’s records. Little Laura composed her first songs at age 4, even before she could read or write. She spent summers in the Catskills as a dance instructor at Kellerman’s resort.

Laura released her debut album, “More Than a New Discovery” in 1966. She was a hot commodity and many well known artists recorded her songs. She appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Although some accounts described her performance as a fiasco that culminated in her being booed off the stage and pelted with garbage, recordings later made publicly available contradict this version of events.

Jackson Browne

Nyro was bisexual, though this fact was only known to her closest friends. She had a relationship with singer/songwriter Jackson Browne in late 1970 to early 1971. Browne was Nyro’s opening act at the time.

Remembering Laura Nyro — Laura Nyro Illustration By Paul King Art

By the end of 1971, Nyro was married to carpenter David Bianchini. She was reportedly uncomfortable with attempts to market her as a celebrity and she announced her retirement from the music business at the age of 24.

By 1976, her marriage had ended, she ran out of money and she released an album of new material, Smile. She then married again, had a child, retired again, and became a full time lesbian. She is often quoted that “Jackson Browne is the reason she turned lesbian.” We are not sure if that means Jackson was so good or so bad? We will never know.

Laura Nyro is considered by many to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Elton John, Alice Cooper, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Todd Rundgren, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello all expressed admiration for Nyro and her influence on their art. Laura passed away at the age of 49 in 1997.