Laura Turner

Songstress Laura Turner was born in Houston, TX, and raised in Jackson Hole, WY. Though her vibrant singing voice was apparent from a young age, Turner didn't pursue singing seriously until high school, where she concentrated on the pop and country styles of artists like Pat Benatar and Emmylou Harris. She then studied at Italy's Chigiana Academy of Music with the intention of becoming an opera singer. While Turner's three-octave voice was certainly capable as a classical music instrument, she found that the line between pop and classical performance was where she most liked to dwell. So she diversified, dabbling in composition, singing standards and pop material at songwriters' nights, and also picking up some vocal demo work. Eventually, she began collaborating with Kurt Howell and David Lyndon Huff. Howell had a classical background and had played in country-rock groups like Southern Pacific, while Huff was an ex-session man with world music credentials. The jumbled styles apparent in the trio were perfect for developing the classically trained pop hybrid sound that Turner was working toward, and soon she and her co-producers had a clutch of songs to shop. Nashville playmaker Mike Curb was looking to expand the crossover side of his successful country roster, and the singer's blend of the exotic and sensual with the dramatic and ethereal seemed the perfect fit. Turner signed with Curb and debuted with Soul Deep in August 2003. Produced and partially written by Howell and Huff, the set also featured songwriting from Diane Warren and Desmond Child, as well as contributions from Turner herself. The album drifted gracefully between styles, showcasing Turner's crystalline vocals over pop, adult contemporary, and lightly textured worldbeat arrangements.