The Collection 66-95

“She wrote songs that had no kind of fixed compass point. They remain as unique and absolutely spellbinding to this day as when I first heard them in the 60's” ~ Elton John

"Hear My Song : The Collection 1966-1995" is a comprehensive remastered 19 CD limited edition deluxe box set collecting the output of the prodigiously talented Laura Nyro. The deepest dive yet into the phenomenal creativity of an idiosyncratic, unmistakable musical force.

Contains 10 original studio albums, 6 live albums, including 2 previously unreleased live concerts, Laura’s original demo tape from 1966 and a bonus disc of rarities, including mono versions, alternative versions and live tracks. Presented in a lift-off lid box with 94 page coffee table book.

Included within this set are all of Laura’s 10 studio albums, "More Than A New Discovery" (1967), "Eli & The 13th Confession" (1968), "New York Tendaberry" (1969), "Christmas & The Beads Of Sweat" (1970), "Gonna Take A Miracle" (1971), "Smile" (1976), "Nested" (1978), "Mother’s Spiritual" (1984), "Walk The Dog & Light The Light" (1993) and her posthumously released masterwork, "Angel In The Dark" (2001).

6 live albums, "Spread Your Wings And Fly : Live At The Fillmore East" (1971), "Season Of Lights : Laura Nyro In Concert" (1977), "Live : The Loom's Desire (1994), and 2 previously unreleased concert recordings from San Francisco 1994.

Rounding off this complete collection is Laura’s 1st ever demo tape "Go Find The Moon" (1966), and a collection of rarities. All remastered and housed in individual sleeves with original artwork.

At the centre of this deluxe package is a 94 page coffee table hardback book with liner notes by acclaimed author Vivien Goldman, forewords from Sir Elton John, Laura’s son Gil Bianchini, and brother Jan Nigro. Featuring contributions and testimonials from Charlie Calello, Will Lee, John Sebastian, Jackson Browne, Clive Davis, Lou Adler, Randy Brecker, Bernard Purdie, Scott Billington, John Sebastian and Gary Burden. Never before seen photographs and intimate family shots illustrate this detailed compendium.

During the singer songwriter movement in the late 60's and early 70's, Laura Nyro was one of the most celebrated artists of her day. She penned soulful, literate songs that took the folky introspection of her peers and infused it with elements of soul, r'n'b, jazz and gospel, giving them an emotional heat that set her apart. Nyro was a hugely respected recording artist, whose confident piano work and rich, expressive vocals made other sonic trailblazers such as Miles Davis and Alice Coltrane navigate towards her. She has influenced the greatest of songwriters, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Neil Young, Carole King, Kate Bush and Elvis Costello, among others.

That influence continues today being heard in the works of Alicia Keys, Tori Amos, Suzanne Vega, Jenny Lewis and more. Nyro’s wonderfully expressive and poetic songs, of which many became major hits by other artists, most notably The 5th Dimension, Three Dog Night and Barbra Streisand, remain hallmarks of outstanding quality.

Nyro was 18 years old when she signed her 1st recording contract and wrote the songs for which she is likely to be best remembered. By the time she was 22, she had become one of the most successful composers in US popular music. But at the age of just 24, she drew back from her creativity and fame, battered and drained by the sheer energy and nerve required to sustain her career. Fortunately for those of us who loved her music, that was not the end of the story. She returned briefly to the fray for 3 turbulent years in the mid to late 1970s, and then enjoyed a final decade of artistic achievement and public acclaim, before illness took her from us at the tragically early age of 49 in 1997.

Nyro found her early fame challenging yet despite living under an unrelenting spotlight, she was able to create this series of utterly beautiful and stunningly unique albums.