A fixture on the music scene since moving to Oregon in 1990, Laura Kemp has gained a reputation as one of the finest performers on the west coast. Over the past 25 years she has produced 7 studio and two live CD’s, and has won the Eugene Weekly’s annual poll for Best Singer-Songwriter too many times to keep track of.
With musical interests that span anything from folk to bluegrass to jazz to kirtan, and accompanying herself on guitar, harmonica, banjo, and harmonium, Laura’s musical style is not one to be pegged down, though it is largely rooted in folk and influenced by her time spent living in Nashville and North Carolina. She began playing guitar at the age of 8, performing every chance she could get, including while living in Germany in 1987, honing her skills in Irish pubs and busking in the streets. Since then, she has performed on numerous stages throughout the country, from Passim in Cambridge, MA and CBGB’s Gallery in NYC, to The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, and the main stage of Eugene's Oregon Country Fair.
These days you can hear her perform in a variety of configurations and settings: as a dynamic solo artist/singer-songwriter; leading devotional kirtans that are sung primarily in Sanskrit while accompanying herself on guitar and harmonium; fronting the Laura Kemp Trio with Sean Peterson on upright bass and vocals and Jeremy Wegner on mandolin, banjo, and vocals; or with The Liaisons, a jazz standards trio with Laura on guitar and vocals, Sean Peterson on upright bass and vocals, and a Paul Biondi on saxophones or Tony Glausi on trumpet. A sought after guitar teacher in Eugene, Laura has taught and mentored many young musicians over the past 30 years. When she is not focused on her music, she is an avid gardener, backpacker, and is deeply committed to her yoga practice.
