Laura Curtis to celebrate CD release at The Barn

Sisters High School alum Laura Curtis will mark the release of her new CD "Loving a Ghost" with a concert at The Barn at Pine Meadow Ranch Friday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m.

Already a recording veteran, Curtis released her first CD, a six-song set titled "Something More Tangible" in 2009. A blend of folk and alternative music, highlights include "So Far Gone," "Late In July," and "Garden of Eden."

This latest release comes three years after her freshman effort and finds Curtis exploring new themes with fresh new perspectives that only come with experience.

"This album is very personal. I wanted to convey an honesty and rawness in my music. For me, some of my most profound and compelling experiences with music are when songwriters are willing to be vulnerable, to bear it all," Curtis said.

Curtis was recorded at Tim Prince's Ridgetop Sound in Aptos, California, and produced by Sisters singer/songwriter Brad Tisdel.

"Laura played and sang each track on the CD with just her guitar, voice, and her words, which demonstrates her strengths as a live performer, a poet, and a solid guitar player," Tisdel said.

The 12 songs blend two reworked songs from Curtis' previous release with 10 new compositions.

Engineered by Prince, who produced Dennis McGregor's "Behind the Beat, Below the Note" and Anastacia's "Grains of Sand," "Loving a Ghost" delivers a sound very complementary to the music.

Considered a strong songwriter despite her youth, Curtis moves her listeners with strong lyrics and homegrown melodies, suggesting the experience of one who has the ability to put into words and music the challenges of living in a small town, and eventually leaving.

"Her music reflects this insight and poetically speaks to the struggles and trials of life," said Tisdel, "but there is a freedom in the way she approaches her writing and style."

Citing musical influences as diverse as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews, and Norah Jones, Curtis also said, "Patty Griffin has always been an inspiration to me. I love the way she steps outside of her own life experiences and writes from completely different points of view."

Known in and around Central Oregon as a fixture in the folk music arena, Curtis has been an important contributor to the Americana Project and the Sisters Folk Festival.

"Outside of fellow musicians, my greatest influence has been the Sisters Folk Festival and the Americana Project," she said. "The people I have met and the support I have found is what fueled my passion for music."

Tisdel, a founder of the Americana Project and executive director of the Sisters Folk Festival commented, "As a standout student and alumni of the Americana Project, she has stayed very involved with the Sisters Folk Festival, including teaching and mentoring other girls and young women, and will soon be teaching for the second straight year at the Americana Song Academy for Youth in Sisters, March 4-6."

Curtis, who is just 19, is a student at Willamette University in Salem, majoring in politics.

"I love to study politics," said Curtis. "Sometimes my passion for music and my passion for education outside of music conflict, but I could never trade one for the other."

The Barn at Pine Meadow Ranch is located at 68467 Three Creek Rd. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and a $5 donation is suggested. Soup and bread will provided for the cold and hungry, and CDs will be available for purchase.

For more information call 541-408-7794 or visit

http://www.lauracurtismusic.com.