Laura Nyro 1997 Deaths

Laura Nyro

Considered one of the most important women in rock history, Nyro's introspective ballads combined elements of folk, soul and gospel. She loomed large among her peers and audiences throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Her influence on a broad spectrum of pop can be seen in the artists who had hits with her songs, including the Fifth Dimension, Barbra Streisand, LaBelle and Melissa Manchester. In 1967, David Geffen heard a tape of her and quit his job to become her manager. Nyro's recordings include Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry.