Showing posts with label Lauren Kilgore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lauren Kilgore. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Lauren Kilgore - Today Is Mine

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:58
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. State of Grace
(4:25)  2. Carolina in my Mind
(3:40)  3. Sleeping Beauty
(3:31)  4. Let Me Dream Again
(4:00)  5. I'm Looking Through You
(4:35)  6. Today Is Mine
(3:01)  7. Three Times Seven
(2:30)  8. Just A Mockingbird
(4:39)  9. Moontown
(4:22) 10. George and His 88 Keys
(3:48) 11. Poor Wayfaring Stranger

"Today Is Mine" is a thoughtful collection of cover songs rich in folk, pop, and country influences from vocalist Lauren Kilgore. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Lauren was exposed to an interesting variety of music as a child.

"I grew up listening to the music of Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, the Beatles, and James Taylor, and this record is sort of a 'thank you' for bringing me those musical influences and great tunes," she says. While Lauren's stunning voice celebrates the work of those who've come before her, the 21-year-old singer definitely makes each song her own.

"I don't think you have to fit into a single category musically," Lauren says. "I don't agree with that philosophy. Mixing different styles together for me was like creating a tapestry. The different pieces and textures work beautifully together and bring more depth to the whole project."

The title track comes from songwriter, singer, and guitarist Jerry Reed. Lauren's father, Larry Kilgore, is a terrific fingerstyle guitarist and he's been playing this song with her since she was old enough to sing. Reed's lyrics convey a philosophy of life that is as valid today as it was when he wrote the song in the 1960s - living each day to the fullest, in the here and now. As Reed wrote, "today is the only garden we can tend." This "seize the day" attitude fits perfectly with Lauren's current musical hopes and ambitions.

"My father played the guitar as long as I can remember and was constantly letting us hear various types of musical styles that he grew up with," says Lauren. "I think I have a unique advantage in being exposed to so many types of talented musicians. I don't know anyone my age who listens to artists like Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, or Merle Travis."

Included on the CD are such well-known folk-pop classics as "Carolina In My Mind" (James Taylor) and "I'm Looking Through You" (Lennon/McCartney). Also featured are great songs by lesser-known writers such as Pierce Pettis ("State of Grace," "Moontown"), Tom Prasada Rao ("Sleeping Beauty"), Cosy Sheridan ("George And His 88 Keys"), and Leslie Braly ("Let Me Dream Again," "Just A Mockingbird"). In contrast to these recent songs is the Western swing classic "Three Times Seven" by Merle Travis, which features Larry Kilgore playing a Travis-inspired solo on his vintage Gibson Super 400 electric guitar. "Poor Wayfaring Stranger " dates back to the Civil War, although Lauren's reading of the song gives it an entirely new, jazzy flavor. The CD's producer and arranger, Jim O, selected the songs and played practically all of the guitar and percussion tracks on the album. Other Birmingham musicians lent their talents to the project, such as Greg Brown (bass guitar, electric guitar, mandolin and harmony vocals), Bobby Horton (trumpet and trombone on "George and His 88 Keys") and Jerry Ryan (harmonica). Also featured are drummer Jay Frederick, keyboardist Keith Knox, and upright bassist Roy Yarbrough ("Let Me Dream Again," "Moontown"). Robbi Podrug and Kathy Hinkle of the Herb Trotman Band, a popular Birmingham bluegrass band, sing harmony vocals on "Let Me Dream Again." The only non-Birmingham musician on the record is violin virtuoso Joe Ebel from Asheville, North Carolina, whose superb solos and multi-tracked string "quartets" grace many of the tracks.

"Today Is Mine" is a follow-up to Lauren's debut CD, "Before My Time," released in1999. Producer Jim O says, "when I produced her first recording three years ago I knew she was an artist with a bright future, and on this record she's hitting her stride with a beautiful, silky sound that brings a whole lot of warmth, feeling and great musicianship to the songs." https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/laurenkilgore

Today Is Mine

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Lauren Kilgore - Before My Time

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:52
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Miss Otis Regrets
(2:56)  2. Nature Boy
(3:50)  3. I Will
(3:42)  4. Jolene
(4:34)  5. Dream a Little Dream of Me
(3:26)  6. Yesterday
(3:26)  7. Ready for the Times to Get Better
(2:57)  8. In My Life
(3:14)  9. Summertime
(4:29) 10. I Still Miss Someone
(4:27) 11. Do I Love You

This is the 1999 debut album by Birmingham, Alabama vocalist Lauren Kilgore. Recorded and produced by guitarist Jim Ohlschmidt, this 11-song collection presents a variety of styles that showcase the singer's beautiful young voice. Opening and closing the CD are two Cole Porter selections; "Miss Otis Regrets," which enjoys a surprisingly swinging, up tempo treatment, and the gorgeous ballad, "Do I Love You." The haunting Nat King Cole classic "Nature Boy" is performed with only electric guitar and clarinet accompaniment, and Gershwin's timeless "Summertime" swings along with guitar, brushes, and superb jazz pedal steel played by none other than Doug Jernigan. Winfield flat picking champion Allen Shadd plays many tasty licks on a bluegrass version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene." The writing of Lennon and McCartney is represented with a lovely version of "Yesterday" (which also features Jernigan's pedal steel work), a sexy bossa nova reading of "I Will," and the ever-popular "In My Life" featuring Alabama Symphony Orchestra cellist Craig Hultgren. On the country side is an acoustic arrangement of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" and Allen Reynold's "Ready For The Times To Get Better" featuring the twin fingerpicking of Jim Ohlschmidt and Lauren's father, Larry Kilgore.

Many other fine Alabama musicians lent their talents to the project, including Gaines Brake (clarinet and saxophone), Keith Knox (piano and keyboards), Bobby Horton (dobro), Jerry Ryan (harmonica), Clyde Kendrick (electric guitar), Chris Wendle (bass guitar), Roy Yarbrough (upright bass), Robbi Podrug (fiddle), Herb Trotman (banjo), Craig Dobbins (Del Vecchio resonator guitar), and Sally White (saxophone). Recorded at age 18, Lauren's interpretations of these classic songs laid the groundwork for her newest release, "Today Is Mine" featuring more great selections focused on folk-pop, with arrangements, production, and guitar work by Jim Ohlschmidt along with many of the musicians on "Before My Time." Both CDs reveal the range and depth of this extraordinary singer. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7130900&style=music&fulldesc=T