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"Rob Laurens culls his naturalistic ballads from the fertile soil of American folk tradition, but his intimate, incisive lyrics embody the best instincts of the contemporary songwriter movement." -- Scott Alarik, Boston Globe "Rob Laurens is a rare bird. In a time when contemporary folk means fledgling pop writers with acoustic guitars, Laurens has developed a deep knowledge of an ancient Appalachian path. He has a sweet, well-enunciated vocal style void of pretension, and a writing style that usually avoids being overly precious. Hes the first major talent to come from the coffeehouse circuit in a while." -- Daniel Gewertz, Boston Herald "With a unique sense of phrasing and a strong, lyrical style, Rob Laurens writes songs that tell real stories -- in the big sense of the word. He is an insightful and provocative songwriter." -- Dick Pleasants, host, The Folk Heritage WGBH 89.7 FM Boston "Rob Laurens has the rare ability to write songs that seem like theyve always been there. When he steps on stage, youre drawn into the atmosphere that he creates from the first chord. Witty, engaging, thoughtful, and whimsical -- its all there, held together by taste, discernment, and an intriguing, original guitar style. Rob Laurens is a quiet, American treasure." -- Dave Palmater, host, Folk Radio WUMB 91.9 FM * * *
Rob Laurens is a songwriter's songwriter. With a keen eye for subtle, understated detail, Rob creates songs whose lyrics resonate like the words of a writer; his songs tell stories, often expressing the kind of ideas and complexity of emotions more typically tackled in the work of a novelist, creating songs that are subtle and insightful, with meanings that deepen with repeated listening. Steeped in the knowledge of many kinds of American traditional music -- especially Appalachian ballads -- Rob seeks to emulate the best folk songs, which possess these traits. Rob has lived and traveled throughout the United States, and has had the opportunity to spend time learning folk music from Appalachian fiddle and banjo players, blues guitarists, and from recordings in the Library of Congress. To accompany his performances of these songs, Rob uses a number of instruments, including piano, harmonica, and a cache of various vintage guitars. He sings in a tenor voice with a natural, quick vibrato that is sometimes reminiscent of old-time Appalachian singing. Rob has won the New Folk Award for Songwriting at both the Kerrville Folk Festival (TX) and its sister festival, The Columbia River Festival (WA). He has returned to play the main stage at these and many other festivals, including the Strawberry, High Sierra, and Napa Valley Festivals in California. He tours both east and west coasts, playing such clubs as The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, California, and Club Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Robs first album-length CD, entitled, The Honey on the Mountain was nominated for Best Debut Folk/Acoustic Album by the Boston Music Awards. Produced by Philo/Rounder recording artist Ellis Paul, The Honey on the Mountain features performances by acclaimed national folk artists Richard Shindell and Lucy Kaplansky, among others. Rob is currently mixing his second album, which will feature many of Boston's best roots musicians, and will be released on the Newburyport, Massachusetts label Riverwide Records.
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