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Shona Laing

 
Artist: Shona Laing
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Similar Artists:

Fever Tree, Clear Light, Paula Cole, The Blessing, 3rd Matinee, Crowded House

Influenced By:

Lindsey Buckingham
  • Active: '80s, '90s
  • Genres: Rock
  • Instrument: Vocals
  • Representative Albums: "Essential", "South", "Shona Laing

Biography

Singer/songwriter Shona Laing was a star in her native New Zealand before the age of 20 and has remained a notable artist known for her insightful lyrics since the early '70s. Born in 1955, Laing's musical career was given a boost by her successful appearances on television talent contests, which led to her signing a record deal with Phonogram in 1972. Her first single, "1905," was a Top Ten hit in New Zealand and, over the next three years, she released a series of songs that duplicated that feat, earning numerous regional recording awards. Relocating to London in 1975, she continued to perform at folk clubs and at the beginning of the '80s, she released several singles through EMI, which culled them together as the full-length Tied to the Tracks in 1982. Enlisted by Manfred Mann, who had heard one of her songs, Laing joined his Earth Band, singing backup on their Somewhere in Afrika release. Returning to New Zealand in 1985, she released Genre, which received little notice until the track "(Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" became a hit. The song was picked up by college radio stations in the U.S. when it was included on her South set in 1987, along with the driving "Soviet Snow," which enjoyed some play from MTV. The attention earned her a deal with Epic, the label on which her 1992 release New on Earth was issued. Well-received critically, the album was lost in the shuffle and Laing was dropped. She remained a respected artist in New Zealand and continued to record through the end of the '90s. ~ Tom Demalon, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Shona Laing
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Shona Laing

Shona Laing performing at WOMAD 2009 in New Zealand
Background information
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1972 - present
Associated acts Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Shona Laing (born c. 1955) is a New Zealand born musician. She has had several hits in her native country, as well as a few minor international hits, most notably "(Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" and "Soviet Snow". Laing also contributed to the Manfred Mann's Earth Band album Somewhere in Afrika. Laing also contributed music to, and appeared in, the 1985 action film Shaker Run.[1]

Currently she resides in New Zealand and occasionally plays live shows, enjoying a small but devoted fan base.

Contents

Musical career

Laing first came to prominence in 1972 as a 17-year-old schoolgirl, winning the television talent show "New Faces" with her song 1905. Signed to a recording contract with Phonogram, her first two singles, 1905 and Show your Love both certified gold and both peaked at number 4 on the New Zealand charts. In 1973 she won two Rata awards: Best New Artist and Recording Artist Of The Year.[2] Laing twice represented New Zealand at the Tokyo, in 1973 (with the song Masquerade) and 1974. In 1975 she travelled to Britain and was based there for the next seven years, where in 1982, she was a vocalist for Manfred Mann's Earth Band alongside fellow New Zealander, Chris Thompson.

Private life

During a concert on July 18 1996, Shona Laing came out as bisexual and noted that she was in a relationship with another woman.[3][dead link][4]

Discography

Singles

  • "1905" (1972)
  • "Show Your Love" (1973)
  • "Masquerade" (1973)
  • "Someone To Be With" (1973)
  • "One In A Miilion" (1985)
  • "(Glad I'm) Not A Kennedy" (1986)
  • "Drive Baby Drive" (1987)
  • "Soviet Snow" (1987)
  • "Caught" (1987)

Albums

  • Whispering Afraid (1972)
  • Shooting Stars Are Only Seen At Night (1974)
  • Tied To The Tracks (1982)
  • Genre (1985)
  • South (1987)
  • 1905–1990 Retrospective* (1991)
  • New on Earth (1992)
  • Shona (1994)
  • Roadworks (1997)
  • The Essential Shona Laing* (2002)
  • PASS THE WHISPER 2007

References

  1. ^ Shaker Run at imdb
  2. ^ Shona Laing biography
  3. ^ A Lesbian Decade: September 1990- September 2000 (from The Auckland Women's Centre's website)
  4. ^ A Chronology of Homosexuality in New Zealand

External links

v • d • e
Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann • Mick Rodgers • Noel McCalla • Jimmy Copley • Steve Kinch
Chris Thompson • Steve Waller • Chris Slade • Colin Pattenden • Pat King • John Lingwood • Clive Bunker • Dave Flett • Matt Irving • Shona Laing • Richard Marcangelo • Geoff Britton • John Trotter • Geoff Dunn • Pete May
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Songs
Related articles
Discography • Manfred Mann • Manfred Mann Chapter Three • The Manfreds

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
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South (1988 Album by Shona Laing)
New on Earth (1992 Album by Shona Laing)
Shona Laing (1994 Album by Shona Laing)

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Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Shona Laing".  Read more