Lori Lieberman
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Contemporary folk, folk/pop
Status:
Most recent release, Ready for the Storm (2015)
See also:
Lori Lieberman's site
Comparisons:
Think Judy Collins combined with Sarah McLachlan. Or Joni Mitchell mixed with Jewel (only better). (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Covers/own material:
Lori Lieberman has a long history of song writing. Some of her earlier songs were written by award-winning team of Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox.
General comments:
I became a Lori Lieberman fan sometime in the '70s. I was instantly entranced by her graceful and passionate voice (she truly has one of the most wonderful singing voices of any folk artist or pop singer in America. Adjectives don't do Lori Lieberman's voice justice, but just imagine Mary Fahl or Judy Garland as a folk singer and you'll have a sense of exactly how wonderful Lori Lieberman sounds. Lori Lieberman has a perfect voice. She has a natural sounding voice, too (fresh and refreshing.
The lyrics to many Lori Lieberman songs are soft, and touching. She sings about love and life, and her songs, while often sweet and mellow, have the ability to elicit a tear or two when you hear them. If you're lucky, you can find some of Lori Lieberman's vinyl LPs, which, unfortunately, have never been turned into CDs, but which are outstanding. Fortunately, some of Lieberman's older songs are on her CDs.
Here's a bit of music trivia: the original version of the hit '70s song sung by Roberta Flack, "Killing Me Softly," was written by Lori Lieberman. After seeing Don McLean perform "American Pie," at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, Lieberman wrote a poem, expressing her feelings about seeing McLean and "American Pie."
If you find a Lori Lieberman CD or LP, buy it. Don't miss an opportunity to treat yourself to such a wonderful musician. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Recommended first album:
Any that you can get a hold of. Since the CDs are probably easier to find than the LPs, I suggest Lori Lieberman's Home of Whispers CD as the place to start.
Recordings:
Some of the information here is necessarily sketchy, because it's hard to track down some details from the old LPs.
- Lori Lieberman (1972)
- Becoming (1973)
- A Piece of Time (1974)
- Letting Go (1978)
- A Thousand Dreams (1995)
- Home of Whispers (1996)
- Gone is the Girl (1998)
- Monterey (2003)
- Gun Metal Sky (2009)
- Bend Like Steel (2011)
- Bricks Against the Glass (2013)
- Lori Lieberman EP (live, 2014)
- Ready for the Storm (2015)
Lori Lieberman
Release info:
1972—EMI
Availability:
Out of print and hard to find. Try eBay and stores that specialize in vinyl LPs.
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals
Comments:
Words by Norman Gimble and music by Charles Fox for most songs. Some lyrics are by Lori Lieberman. Lori Lieberman is an absolutely delightful CD. A good strong, pop-folk album. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Becoming
Release info:
1973—EMI
Availability:
Out of print and now rare. Try eBay and stores that specialize in vinyl LPs.
Ecto priority:
Strongly recommended
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals
Produced by:
Gimbel and Fox
Comments:
Norman Gimbel wrote the lyrics and Charles Fox wrote the music. If you ever need an excuse to get your turntable in working order, Lori Lieberman's Becoming is it. This album has one of the best songs I've ever heard on it, the title song, "Becoming":
I am weak from what I've seen
Fists of anger, men made mean
I am weak from what I've seen
But I am becoming stronger
As with all of Lori Lieberman's songs, you could toss the lyrics out the window (just hearing her sing turns any words into gold. The first time you hear this song it's a good listen, the second time you can't help but crank the volume up full so that you are surrounded and consumed by Lori Lieberman's incredible singing. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
A Piece of Time
Release info:
1974—EMI
Availability:
Out of print and now rare. Try eBay and stores that specialize in vinyl LPs.
Ecto priority:
High
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals
Guest artists:
John Raines—drums and percussion
Bill Cuomo—piano
Dominic Genova—bass
Fred Tackett—electric guitar
Sneaky Pete—steel guitar
Bud Shank—flute and alto saxophone
Merry Clayton—background vocals
Paul Shire—strings
Produced by:
Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel
Comments:
Some songs composed by Lori Lieberman, others with words by Norman Gimbel and music by Charles Fox. A Piece of Time is a slight departure from the usual Lori Lieberman fare. Not in terms of Lieberman's singing, but the lyrics aren't as melancholy as some of her other LPs and CDs. One of the most enjoyable songs on A Piece of Time is "Stone Canyon", a song about the rough and toughness of New York City. Still, listeners are treated to the same lovely voice. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Letting Go
Release info:
1978—Millennium Records
Availability:
Out of print and now rare. Try eBay and stores that specialize in vinyl LPs.
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals
Guest artists:
Allan Schwartzberg—drums
Will Lee—bass
Paul Leka—piano, shaker
Pat Rebillot—electric piano
John Tropea—electric guitar
The Simms Bothers—background vocals
Mickey Leonard—electric guitar
Bob Rose—acoustic guitar
Bob Stohl—lyricon
Kat Eppie—flute
James Moss—calimba
Produced by:
Paul Leka
Comments:
Most of the songs on this album were written by Lori Lieberman; some were written by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, David Clayton-Thomas, William Smith, and J.C. Crowley. Letting Go is Lori Lieberman's last vinyl album (the last album she made at all until 1995, when A Thousand Dreams was released.
One song on this album, "Let Me Down Easy" by Lori Lieberman is about a failed song writer who ends up writing Burger King songs. Another, "Boston" is about an ex-Bostonian, who longs for that city, and a love left behind
Another working day was done
Another subway ride to home
New York was snowing then
And I felt a chill in my bones
I thought I saw your face in the subway window
Yellowed by the subway light
Thinking of you on your way to Boston
In put my head in my hands and I cried.
Some of the songs on A Piece of Time are destined to draw out our own memories of love gone by. I guess that's one of the things that makes this album so wonderful. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
A Thousand Dreams
Release info:
1995—Pope Music
Availability:
Hard to find
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals
Guest artists:
Gary Scott—piano
Katie Kirpatrick—harp
Steve Erdody—cello
George Doering—acoustic guitar
Paulinho Da Costa—percussion
Stacy Shaffer—background vocal
Chuck Domanico—bass, upright bass
Terry Morgan—harmonica
Ray Kelley—cello
John Goux—acoustic guitar
Produced by:
Joseph Cali
Comments:
A delightful CD—full of thoughtful lyrics and stellar vocals. Well worth a wait of nearly two decades. If you can't find any of Lori Lieberman's LPs get A Thousand Dreams, which has some of her 1970s songs on it. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Home of Whispers
Release info:
1996—Pope Music
Availability:
Hard to Find
Ecto priority:
Very recommended
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals
Guest artists:
John Grox—dulcimer
Bob Mann—dobro
Gary Scott—acoustic guitar, piano
Dean Parks—electric guitar
Ray Kelly—cello
Stacey Shaffer—background vocals
John Leftwich—acoustic bass
Paulinho DaCosta—percussion
Produced by:
Gary Scott and Lori Lieberman
Comments:
A heartwarming CD. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Gone is the Girl
Release info:
1998—Pope Music
Availability:
Hard to find
Ecto priority:
Very recommended
Group members:
Lori Lieberman—vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, piano
Guest artists:
Timothy Drury—synthesizer
Steve Klong—drums and percussion
Timothy Drury—background vocals
Lance Morrison—bass
Lyle Workman—electric and acoustic guitar
Produced by:
Gene Pope III, Bob Margouleff, and Steve "King" Klong
Comments:
Is this Lori Lieberman's last CD? Let's hope not: as always, the melodies and singing are beyond delightful. There's even a song from one of her 1970s LPs on this CD. (billonline@adlerbooks.com)
Thanks to Bill Adler for work on this entry.
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