Duane Allman, Elmore James, Steve Cropper, Lindsay Buckingham, Danny Kirwan, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Paine, Lowell George, David Gilmore, Andy Summers, Bob Weir, Muddy Waters, David Lindley, Ry Cooder, Sonny Landreth, Hawaiian music, Led Zeppelin, The Stones..Joni Mitchell...Chris Whitley...the list goes on forever....
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lauren Ellis has been loving and playing music since she was a kid. Inspired to perform by her father, Bruce Sedley, who along with being a violinist in the Marin Symphony, was for many years the host of a childrens television show out of Oakland, California, she began to pick out tunes on guitar.
In high school she hung out with all the crazy musos and jazz freaks, eventually getting turned on to blues music thru the likes of the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers, and through these bands found her way back to Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and various Kings, finding a special place in her heart for slide and bottleneck guitar.
College in Santa Cruz led to a move to Astoria, Oregon, and stints in bands as a bassist and guitarist. Then to Kauai, Hawaii, back to the Bay Area, where she joined the roots band Transistor Rodeo. Then in 1992, on to Los Angeles.
Lauren landed road gigs as guitarist with Nell Carter, Rita Coolidge, Peter Tork of the Monkees, Zydeco legend Joe Simien and others, and with them toured the world, visiting Australia, Singapore, China, Canada, Japan, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, and Peoria, Ill. She was a member of all-girl country band Way Out West, playing guitars and lap steel, and also helped form the infamous Boo Boo Fine Jelly rhythm and blues band, which featured high school friend Susie Davis, Lynne Davis, Gia Ciambotti, Hilary Jones, Maia Sharp and Scheila Gonzales, all of whom currently have ragingly wonderful musical careers. The band morphed into The Scarletts, who rocked the L.A. club scene by turning audiences on to the best and most obscure Stax, Motown and Memphis soul. Lauren then began writing music, and with the help of bassist Sam Bolle, produced her first record: “Push The River”, which featured musicians Roy Bittan of the E Street Band, Herman Matthews, Dean Parks and Neil Steubenhaus. That album won Lauren the 1999 Los Angeles Music Award for “Outstanding Guitarist of the Year”. She was asked to audition for the post-Garcia Grateful Dead band, The Other Ones, opened shows for Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, Dave Mason, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sawyer Brown and others, and eventually left L.A. for the wilds of Nashville, Tennessee.
Lauren released another album: “Feels Like Family”, which is currently available in stores as a CD/DVD Dual Disc on Silverline/Emergent Records. Mixed by famed recording engineer and husband Jake Niceley, it won the “Surround Mix of the Year” at the Surround Sound Awards in Los Angeles, 2005. She is joined on the record by Tony Joe White, Viktor Krauss, and Dean Parks.
She can be heard as composer and slide guitarist on the theme of CMT’s “Crossroads” show, and continues to play and make music in Nashville, currently obsessing on a very primitive and funky pedal steel guitar. When she’s trying to make money, you can find Lauren in her stringed instrument repair shop in downtown Nashville, at Rock Block Guitars.
LAUREN!!! Thanks so much for the guidance and for helping me learn. You have no idea how greatful I am, and how much I appreciate your support...and for caring!!! Thats why YOU ROCK!!! See you soon! Mark
hi, lauren! thanks for the add! nice music you make! i digged it very much!!!! i'm a brazilina guitarist. if you have the time, please listen to my songs. you opinion means a lot! peace, love and sucess for you! cheers, marcos mamuth
Lauren!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm heading out to KC in a couple hours, and I'll let ya know how it turns out. Couldn't have done it without you!!!!!!! Thanks again!!!!! Mark
Lauren, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your help and your support!!! You have NO idea how much I appreciate it!!!! I'll let ya know how the trip turns out. Couldn't have done it with out your help!!!! YOU ROCK!!! Mark
Hey Slide-chick...I never noticed before, but in your "travels" you said you have been all around the world and even "Peoria"!!!! THATS WHY YOU ROCK!!!! LOL!!!!! Happy Easter my Teacher!!!! CHEERS!!! G'Zan
Hi Lauren! You're welcome. You are very talented. I was hoping to be in Nashville wednesday so I could catch you all at the full moon but I can't make it till thursday. Have a great day...xo...Darrell
Hi Lauren! I like all kinds of music but there is something about the Blues that pulls me in. I hope you like this video. Have a great day...xo...Darrell LAUREN ELLIS--"BEFORE YOU ACUSE ME"
Hey rock star!! It was great hanging with you too while you were in town. Your music sounds really cool. GIRLS RULE. Ill have to come by the rock block next time Im in Nashville. much love Lisa Parade
