kansas plate


Lori then


Hullabaloo 99


Hisstory CD

 



Lori Wray left Lawrence, Kansas, in the mid-1980s to join the great migration of midwestern musicians hell-bent for glory in Minneapolis. An anomaly in the male-dominated independent rock scene, Lori’s songs, charisma and ambition quickly caught the attention of many fellow struggling artists. One of those listening was Ed Ackerson (Polara), who assisted her in creating the 1989 EP “Introducing Lori Wray.” The record, on which she was backed by the Jayhawks and Ackerson's band the 27 Various, received accolades in the music press (including Rolling Stone,which called her a “Heartland Debby Harry.”).

Lori spent the early 1990s performing solo (opening for such widely diverse acts as Sinead O’Connor, Lucinda Williams, and Henry Rollins) and collaborating with other musicians, both in the studio and onstage. In 1995, her band Everthread enjoyed airplay on two local radio stations and performed in the Walker Art Center’s “Movies and Music in the Park” series.

Lori’s debut CD, Safely Crass, was the result of her 1997-98 creative partnership with fellow songwriter Mike Merz. Featuring bassist Doug Bratland, drummer William Mullen, and Mike’s vocal and multi-instrumental contributions, the disc at long last gathered Lori’s formidable songwriting achievements into a tangible package. Lori spent much of 1998 performing (backed by drummer Mullen and flanked by the Bratland twins) in support of “Safely Crass,” playing for loyal fans at headlining gigs and gaining new ones at shows with the likes of Kelly Willis, Amy Rigby, Hayden, and Juliana Hatfield. One of the year’s highlights was the memorable “Judith Festival,” a celebrity-studded retooling of one of the year’s lowlights — the junior high talent show-esque Lilith Fairauditions.

Alhough the end of the century seemed to signal the end of Lori's always-sketchy presence in the press and on the airwaves, she dug in her heels and kept singing, writing, and recording. A collaboration with longtime musical cohort Jay Orff (formerly of The 27 Various) resulted in Glenburn, a 10-song CD filled with beautiful songs about North Dakota. No kidding. Another highlight of 1999 was the inclusion of her song "The Nervous Light of Sunday" on the local compilation "Do You Know the Secret Trousers?"

Some of Lori's best memories of Y2K include her performances with Roadshow, a band (described as "a wholly democratic union of singer-songwriters ... and Dave") that included Jay Orff, Jerry Lefkowitz (27 Various, Something Fierce, Whoops Kitty), Devin Hill (Dangtrippers), and Dave Russ (Something Fierce, Holiday Ranch, DustBunnies). Lori also kept busy with solo performances, as well as cameos with the Conquerors, the Autumn Leaves, and the inimitable Dylan Hicks. And finally, continuing her dogged pursuit of happiness through music, Lori hooked up with one of her earliest musical acquaintances — fellow Kansan Todd Newman (formerly of the critically-acclaimed Leatherwoods) — for an ongoing series of mostly-acoustic gigs. So far, the pair has managed to gain some exposure and a few more fans by opening for buzz-mavens like Catpower, Shannon Wright, and Chris Mills.

Lori's 2001 odyssey begins with the release of Hisstory, a "Collection of Classic Cuts Culled Chiefly from Cassettes." The release will be celebrated at a historic reunion gig with the 27 Various (& other friends) January 26 at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis. If you're in town we hope to see you at the show! (Check the First Avenue web site for more info and/or directions to the club.)

 

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