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Laurianne was born and raised in Tennessee, just outside of Music City. Her parents introduced her to music and Laurianne’s older brothers offered encouragement, criticism, and guitar chords. The generational gaps quickly made the family a musical melting pot. Her parents brought the folk while her brothers explored pop and country songs. Laurianne was able to soak it all in and create her unique sound. She also learned to do things a little differently. Maybe it’s a case of being the youngest or the only girl in a family of boys but Laurianne always wanted to do things her way. "I was always one to go a bit against the grain and didn't want to do what everyone else was doing." That led to her first big break with a solo performance at the age of 5 with the Rogers and Hammerstein tune “Getting To Know You.” You might say everyone got to know Laurianne.

When Laurianne was growing up music shook the house and permeated the souls inside. Silly songs were written with her brothers and prayers were sung before evening meals. Laurianne grew up writing poems and stories in the classroom and journaling at home. She said that then writing was "fun for me and exciting and I was always out to accomplish something intriguing and exciting...even if it was just for me." In her senior year of high school Cates branched out and formed a "chic band" where she showcased original material for an audience other than her family. She went on to attend Belmont University where she discovered more friends and musical kinships and in just a short time she would be the one discovered by fans and protégés. Belmont was where Laurianne gravitated toward the pop groups of her generation like Travis and Coldplay, all the while she embraced the artier song craft of Patty Griffin, Jeff Buckley, and Jonatha Brooke. She’d share this music alongside her own at coffee shops, front porches, and gazebos.

After college Laurianne worked for L.A. based Right Bank publishing where she was one of two Nashville staff writers. She learned a lot about “the business” of songwriting and how to stay true, honest, and artful while appealing to different audiences. "I realized that making music had to be a business as well as a creative outlet if I wanted to succeed at all." She sharpened her skills by learning from veteran songwriters Darrell Brown and Dennis Matkosky. She wrote furiously with friends like Dave Barnes, Brandon Heath, Andy Davis, and Matt Wertz (whose latest record features a Cates composition). Laurianne has taken what she's learned from her family and borrowed the best from her friends and influences and created a style all her own. She makes music she loves to sing and does it honestly. What else can you ask from an artist?

Something Real is Laurianne’s latest effort. It was recorded in Nashville with Matthew Perryman Jones and a host of friends and family joining in on the fun. Laurianne’s strong, serious voice gives the listener a rush; a sense of living life with abandon and chasing what one wants. Her ear for pop melodies makes the songs memorable and singable. The common themes of love, loss, and living life are refreshed and encourage the listener. Her songs, even the slow ones, are borderline anthems. In these days of overexposed, copycat pop music, Laurianne confidently stands out.