We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lara Price. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lara below.

Lara, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I recently finished my 8th album. I feel like my personal performances were better than the last studio recording I did. The album is called Half & Half. Half recorded in Texas, half recorded in California. I moved to Texas 8 years ago from Aptos, California with the intention to continue my 25 year journey with music. I knew that on a single house hold income I could afford to live alone in Austin, Texas, “Live music capitol of the world”. On this record I wanted to record my I wanted to honor the musicians that I worked with in California, for if it not for them, I would not be able to hang in this extremly competive and fearce music scene. Additionally I wanted to record here in Austin, with long time Austinites. I have witnessed so much music here, music that I didn’t know was possible. It’s been an incredbile experience living here. The album comes out in June.

Lara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Lara PriceA Little Goes a Long Way…Abandoned at birth, Lara became a part of the controversial Operation Baby Lift, themass evacuation of orphans from South Vietnam to the United States. Her journey out of Vietnam to her new home was nothing short of a miracle, as 90 percent of the orphaned babies did not survive. Lara Price is a survivor.Price discovered the power of music at the tender age of 6, when she started 
taking piano lessons in England with legendary 80’s music innovator Howard 
Jones. At the age of 12 she found her singing voice. She 
continued her vocal studies operatically with Dr. Lynn Berg at BSU.Laraarrived in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1997 to pursue her dream of singing in a band. The journey of Lara’s career includestours across the United States, China, multiple bands, 1 DVD, 7 CD’s that Lara Price has produced, co-written, and on which she has played multiple instruments. Her 6thCD, “I Mean Business,” is exactly that! “I Mean Business” was picked up by Vizztone Label Group and has earned Lara Price a Best Soul/Blues Female Artist nomination for 2017 by the Blues Foundation. Lara’s journey continues in Austin, Texas, where she currently released on her 7th record, “Makin’ Lemonade Lara Price LIVE from ATX”, and is releasing her 8thstudio release Half & Half. Half Texas, half California.

“The proof is in the performance. Price’s vocal instrument is as strong as it is sensual, confident in covering the breadth of material in her songbook.” SF Chronicle 2003
“Blues Artist on the Rise.”Blues Festival E-Guide 2008
“Lara Price…combines Gladys Knight’s sophistication with Mavis Staple Grit”Boston Globe November 2015
“Crazy Lucy”Elwood’s Blues Mobile -Top Pick of the Week January 2016
“Strong performances mark Lara Price as a force in the soul blues arena!” Blues Blast Magazine March 2016
“If you enjoy the soul blues styling’s of women like Trudy Lynn, Etta James, and Etta Jones, you’ll find plenty to latch onto with Price’s I Mean Business.” Blues Review Magazine March 2016
Female Soul Blues Artist Nomination along side Mavis Staplesand Bettye LaVetteBlues Foundation 2017

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

49 years ago this month the United States Government brought me and 3000 other orphans from our homeland in war torn Vietnam to America to have a better life. I was adopted by an all American military family. Unfortunately at 9yrs old I survived years of sexual abuse. I believe that these 2 events are why I became an artist. Music has saved my life.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I started a mentorship through music program with Kids In A New Groove 6 years ago. This mentorship gives weekly music lessons to foster children for free. This seemed like pain into purpose on steroids, and as adoptee I knew I could relate at some level with these children. No matter where you stand on abortion, the effects of the current policies will result in more children in an already broken foster care system. The Music Mentorship is a journey for both the mentee and mentor. I have learned so much from the mentees, and would like to continue finding ways to raise awareness and funds for Kids In a New Groove. I recently produced a Mentor Showcase. This was an opportunity for the mentees to leave the “classroom”, and see thier mentor in thier “super power”. The event was recrutiment effort as well as a fundraiser. Its my goal see this be an annual event.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laraprice.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larapriceband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lara.price.90
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/larapriceband

Image Credits
Susie Pollard Tina Abbaszadeh