Carol Laula
b. 12 December 1963, Johnstone, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. A Scottish singer/songwriter, descended from Romany Gypsies, Laula's parents bought her first guitar when she was just 12 years old, in order to encourage their daughter's obvious interest in music. She left school at the age of 16 to attend secretarial college. Shortly afterwards she joined a local band, Playing For Time, as lead vocalist. Retaining a day job to support herself, she continued working with the band. It was not until 1985, with her father's support, that Laula finally quit her job to take up music on a full time basis, joining This Perfect Heart. Eventually she left this group to pursue a solo career, and in 1989 recorded her first single, Gypsy. This was followed in 1990 by Standing Proud, a song officially adopted by the City Of Glasgow as the theme for its Year Of Culture. After a spell of busking on the continent, Laula returned to Scotland during the summer of 1990, this time adding to the solo guitar/vocal format by forming the Carol Laula Band. The group comprised a number of top Scottish musicians, namely Martin Hanlin (drums), Alan Hosie (bass), and Johnny Cameron (guitars/mandolin/vocals), and the resultant 1991 Scottish tour was highly successful. On 5 October 1992 STILLwas released, on Iona Records, on the recording of which the group were augmented by James Prime (Hammond organ/accordion), Ewan Vernal (bass), Douglas Dougie Vipond (from Deacon Blue; drums), Anne Wood (from the Cauld Blast Orchestra; fiddle) and Mark Duff (from Capercaillie; whistle). All the songs were composed by Laula, apart from the classic White Dress written by Dave Swarbrick. For the subsequent, sell-out Scottish tour, Carol was supported by former Go Go, Jane Wiedlin. The ensuing media attention put Carol well and truly on the musical map. Child Of Mine was released from the album early in 1993. Laula then went out to Louisiana, USA, to work on songs for the follow-up set. With a new line-up for the band, which inlcuded Gavin McComb (bass), Martin Hanlin (drums) and Johnny Cameron (guitars), they recorded PRECIOUS LITTLE VICTORIES, released in October 1993. The album showcased a more soft-rock vein, but still retained an acoustic feel to it. Again, apart from one track co-written with Jane Wiedlin, the remainder of the songs were composed by Laula.