Laura Gibson

Born in Coquille on the Oregon coast, Laura Gibson writes music that sits between American folk, indie folk and understated indie rock, carried by a gentle voice and often sparse arrangements. She trained as a cellist in her youth and settled in Portland after her studies. She released the EP Amends in 2004, followed by her debut album, If You Come to Greet Me, on Hush Records in 2006 and Beasts of Seasons in 2009. Her repertoire centres on intimate songs with restrained melodic lines, expanding into fuller orchestrations on La Grande in 2012 and more narrative songwriting on Empire Builder in 2016. The latter album was shaped by her move to New York and the East Village explosion, which she survived. Goners followed in 2018. Alongside her solo releases, Laura Gibson recorded Bridge Carols with Ethan Rose in 2009 and has collaborated with musicians such as Peter Broderick, The Dodos and Calexico. Active both on the independent folk scene and in more cross-disciplinary settings, she was among the early performers at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts and has also developed a body of composition work for dance, theatre and collective projects in Portland.