Laura

“I met Laura when The Fifth Avenue Band opened a series of concerts for her around the time of our album release in 1969. Her shows were breathtaking, with Laura sitting alone at a grand piano, bathed in purple light, flowers on the piano, a flower in her hair. She and I became friends, and I, of course, fell in love with her. Everyone did. She and I sat in her pent house trading songs, her passion, her pain, her grace, her exquisite musical joy, still speaks for us all. Laura, you are unforgettable. This is for you.” ~ Peter Gallway

Peter Gallway's tribute to Laura Nyro, "Laura", will be released by Gallway Bay Music on January 24th, 2025.

"Stoned Soul Picnic" ~ One of Laura’s most popular songs, which caught me with its slow and sultry swing. “Can you surry, can you picnic?”

"Eli’s Comin’" ~ “Eli’s comin’ better hide your heart girl”. The strength and warning of this song embodies Laura’s unmistakable identity as a woman.

"Emmie" ~ Was she speaking from her heart at a time when such things were unspoken? I hope so. “Touch me, oh wake me, Emily you ornament the earth for me”.

"New York Tendaberry" ~ The title song from the album that I would choose, if I could only choose one. Of the city of our birth, this song moved me to my core, and still does. “Sidewalk and pigeon, you look like a city but you feel like religion to me”.

"Mercy On Broadway" ~ “Madison smiled, and she hung with a band of strays”. How many songs have been written about Broadway? Too many to count, but only Laura could talk about mercy, and jive, and prayer, and sing 'shine, everybody, shine'.

"Gibsom Street" ~ ”The devil is hungry, the devil is sweet, they hang the alley cats on Gibsom Street”. "Have you ever felt turned out and cold, having tasted forbidden fruit?"

"You Don’t Love Me When I Cry" ~ The heartrending opener to "Tendaberry". I’m in awe of Laura’s courage to begin the album with a song like this. “I got drawn blinds blues all over me”.

"Time And Love" ~ Laura could whoop and swoon, with wisdom and joy, and we all went with her. “Don’t let the devil fool ya, here comes the dove, nothing cures like time and love”.