Over a number of years, I have included a number of albums in my CD collection by the late Laura Nyro. The talented singer/songwriter died in 1997, but she has left a rich legacy of music. She never became a household name, but her compositions became hits for other singers, in particular "Stoney End" for Barbra Streisand and "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Stoned Soul Picnic" for 5th Dimension. Nyro herself recorded these songs, and in the late '60s, her songwriting skills were in much demand.
One of my favourite Laura Nyro albums is actually a covers album. Usually I steer clear of covers albums because they seem nothing more than a contract obligation, but Nyro's 1970 album Gonna Take a Miracle, featured covers of soul classics such as "The Bells", "Jimmy Mack", "Spanish Harlem" and the title track. She was backed by powerhouse R&B trio Labelle (featuring Miss Patti) and their stunning vocals made this a classic album.
If you have never listened to Laura Nyro, I recommend Gonna Take A Miracle or any of her albums. Nyro was a great songwriter, but she was also a wonderful singer blessed with a beautiful voice.
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