All photos: Alan Mercer Make-up: Rudy Calvo Hair: Michael Henley Lighting: E. Venturo
This blog has a special meaning for me. I really have been familiar with the music of Eloise Laws for a long time. I had the opportunity to meet her in Dallas, TX several years ago. She and her sister Debra were doing a Thanksgiving show and I was lucky enough to attend. Both ladies were mezmerizing on stage and as personable and friendly in person as anyone can be. That experience left an indelable mark in my memory.
Fast forward to Los Angeles today. I have waited to photograph Eloise Laws for 'too long' and I finally had the opportunity to fulfill this desire with the help of Rudy Calvo who did his usual masterful make-up and styling. Michael Henley styled the hair and Eric Venturo used his keen sense of creative lighting to bring these shots to life.
I also loved being able to talk with Eloise about her life today and the long over-due release of 'Eloise' on CD. This blog will make you hip to a lot of her career up to now.
Eloise Laws was born into a family of musicians in Houston, Texas as the fourth of eight children. Her siblings include flutist Hubert, saxophonist Ronnie, and vocalist Debra.
Her first contract with Columbia ended after a couple of singles. She began recording for Holland-Dozier-Holland's Music Merchant and later Invictus labels. Her first album, 'Ain't It Good Feeling Good' was released on Invictus in 1977. Unfortunately, the labels folded soon after this release. Eloise released the LP 'Eloise' on the ABC label later the same year and 'Eloise Laws' on Liberty in 1980, both of which featured the songwriting and producing talents of Linda Creed.
'All in Time,' for Capitol, followed two years later. Eloise was then featured on various albums by different artists like Lee Oskar and Ahmad Jamal, as well as several releases by her siblings.
She would not record another solo album until the late 1990's when 'The Key' was released. She recorded some new tracks along with some re-recordings of her earlier songs. Her latest recording titled 'Secrets' is another masterpiece and readily available.
Never one to rest on her laurels, Eloise continues to perform at music festivals. She has won the prestigious 'Cherry Blossom Award' from the Tokyo Music Festival and headlined the 94.7 The Wave Presents 'Jazz By the Bay at the Queen Mary' series to record-breaking, sold-out audiences.
She is an original lead cast member and co-writer of the highly successful Tony-nominated play 'It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues,' which had its world premiere at the Denver Center Theatre Company. Opening on Broadway with great bravado at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre, it garnered four Tony nominations, and Eloise received a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She also received a coveted Helen Hayes Nomination for her performance at the Kennedy Center, and she continues to receive critical acclaim performing with 'The Blues' cross-country.
When she recently performed at the Denver Center Theatre Company’s world premiere production of 'Nat King Cole: A Musical Healing,' a Denver Post reviewer described Eloise Laws as: “A rare and ethereal presence . . . possessed of a voice that could move chimes on a windless night.”
Whenever she performs in concert or theatre, film and television, Eloise Laws not only successfully commands her audience, she mesmerizes them. Currently, she performs internationally in concert tours as both a solo artist and as an integral part of the legendary “Laws Family,” where outstanding musicians always accompany her.
AM: Eloise it is such a joy to be able to work with you at this time. I want to know about those singles you did for Columbia. Do you remember the name of the songs?
EL: Let me think for a moment. Yes, there was my very first one called 'I'll Make It Up To You.' When you hear it, it will blow you away. It blows me away when I hear it today and I realize how long ago it is and how good it is.
AM: Do you have the song?
EL: Someone sent me a disc so I do have it. We have to hear it.
AM: You need to put it on Youtube.
EL: It's amazing that someone hasn't already done that but that is the thing to do. (Eloise is now singing the song a capella for us) Columbia released two songs and that's what got me out there.
AM: Is that what got you the contract with Invictus?
EL: Eventually it did.
RC: Actually it was Music Merchant.
EL: Yes they signed me after Columbia. Very good Rudy! They were a subsidiary of Invictus. What happened was Columbia released the two singles and I was actually Aretha Franklins replacement. I say that proudly. They dropped her, if you can believe that! They were looking for replacements and I was the one they chose, but no one can replace Aretha Franklin! I was so happy to have Columbia and Clive Davis sign me as an artist though.
AM: Clive was at Columbia at the time?
EL: He was president of CBS at the time so he signed me. I was at the beginning of all the "Divas" that were starting to be signed. Aretha was one of the very first and I followed her. Then the music scene started to change. Things were getting shaken up at Columbia.
AM: How did 'Holland-Dozier-Holland' know of you?
EL: 'Holland-Dozier-Holland' saw me on the Merv Griffin Show, which was one of the shows I would regularly appear on.
AM: You must have been on all the shows at the time.
EL: I also did David Frost, Dick Cavett and The Tonight Show. It was on Merv that I met Bette Midler. She and I became regulars on Merv Griffin. We started out together and she's gone on to make movies and I went looking for different managers that were trying to control my career, taking me in all directions. (laughing) Apparently she did something right and I crossed the wrong bridge but it doesn't matter. I am very happy.
AM: But your first album, "Ain't It Good Feeling Good" has that gorgeous cover shot with the belt.
EL: Holland loved me for that one. He met me and saw the way I dressed and told me I had to wear the belt for the cover.
AM: Do you know what happened to that outfit?
EL: I still have the belt. My daughter wears the belt because I can't wear it anymore. It's too small! (Laughing) My daughter wears it now and she loves it.
AM: Can you tell me about being a member of the Fifth Dimension for a few days?
EL: And I have pictures in costume to prove it! (Laughing) I was on my own doing a show in Wisconsin and after the show I was told that Mark Gordon, the manager for the Fifth Dimension, and some agents from New York were in the audience scouting for a replacement for Marilyn McCoo. He told me they had auditioned hundreds of girls but they would like me to join the group. He said, "We think you're great and you have everything we're looking for."
AM: Well that must have been nice to hear. Did you want to be in a group?
EL: It was a big decision to make as I had never been in a group before. I was an individual singer who had built my reputation after so many years. To go into a group was something that never entered my mind. I did think WOW I could leave a salary of $1,500 a week and make $10,000 a week! That sounded very attractive to me! I said, "Let me think about it for ten minutes." Then I said, "I'd love to do it!" It was tough being out on my own. I thought someone else could do all that I'm doing and all I would have to do is show up for rehearsal and performing. That's really what made my mind up for me.
AM: So what happened next?
EL: I moved to Los Angeles from New York. I wasn't even there when the movers came to pack my things. I had to give away the most precious thing that I loved and that was my dog. She was a Pekinese and I haven't gotten over it to this day!
AM: That must have been so difficult!
EL: I just had to let go. So anyway they moved me out to Los Angeles, lock, stock and barrel. My first appearance with them was on the 'Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.' The next day I got a call saying that Florence LaRue Gordon complained that I didn't smile enough. I thought about it and thought about it. At the time I was dating Flip Wilson and he had a big influence on my life. He told me to drop them. I took his advice and I left the group after two weeks. They didn't fire me, I left. I watched 'The Tonight Show' and I didn't like what I saw. I'm just not a group person. I am an individual artist. I had to be true to that and I saw myself in this group and I thought I can never be a back-up singer to a lesser singer than myself. So that was my brief stay with the Fifth Dimension.
AM: I bet you don't regret it either.
EL: I don't regret it. I never look back. I went to Europe for a couple of months just to get over it because so much press had gone out introducing us. I was so depressed and heart broken. So many emotions were going through me. I moved out to Los Angeles for them and I really preferred being in New York. After I came back from Europe I signed with ABC Records and they released 'Eloise' and the rest is history!
AM: OK, how do you feel about 'Eloise' being re-released?
EL: I feel like I've been born again. I really do. It feels like a new birth. Although it's material that I did at the very beginning of my career. To know that it still has legs and that people are receptive and still want to hear it tells me a lot about what I did back then. I know it has substance. That's why it still stands today.
EL: It is timeless. That means a lot to me because sometimes as an artist what you are doing at the time may not mean as much, but you try to do it the best you can and you don't think about the future. You don't think about whether it will be accepted or appreciated in the future. I'm damn excited and jumping out of my skin about it.
AM: I actually think it will have a bigger audience in 2010!
EL: Well I certainly hope so. I feel good about that too. I think people are hungry for good music. We haven't had any for a very long time. That's not to say, and I'm not criticizing where the music industry is today, but as far as real music, I think it's exciting because we just haven't had any "real music" in a long time.
AM: I'm surprised it took this long to get re-released. I have seen so many people asking for this album over the years.
EL: It took a long time, but better late than never, as the old saying goes. I just hope it will continue to warm the hearts of all the listeners and new fans that may receive it.
AM: You'll get new fans!
EL: I hope so. That would really be a plus for me. The record industry has not been an easy industry for me. It's been a struggle. To be known and appreciated by a few is better than none at all.
AM: Now "Ain't It Good Feeling Good' came out just before 'Eloise' didn't it? It's hot and funky!
EL: They came out pretty close together and oddly enough, musically they are totally different.
AM: Do you have a preference as to which one you like better?
EL: "Ain't It Good Feeling Good" is more close to who I really am. It's R&B where as 'Eloise' is kind of classic pop adult-contemporary. That's how it was marketed and it reached a whole other audience. I will say "Ain't It Good Feeling Good' is my preference because it really was a stretch for me.
AM: It's just hot, hot, hot! It's sexy hot and I love it!
EL: Hot, hot, hot, exactly! It brought me some very positive and spirited fans. I have some long-time fans that started with that release and are still here today.
AM: No interview would be complete without mentioning that you come from a very famous musical family. How are you all doing?
EL: We're doing great as a matter of fact. There is now talk of a reality/documentary in the works. We've actually been working on it with a production company that has been talking to the Oprah Winfrey production company. So far it looks good. We've got Quincy Jones backing it and he's actually written a letter saying that he is 100% behind it.
AM: I do have a question that I think a lot of people are curious about and that is why haven't you all done a family recording? Is it just too hard?
EL: We'll be lucky if the reality/documentary show happens. I never thought that I would say these words, and I always used to wonder why musical families break up, the list is endless. Now I understand why it happens and that's all I got to say about that! It's unbelievable how difficult it is for families. Everybody is so different and no one wants to be of one accord.
AM: Yet you have all worked together before.
EL: We've worked in the studio together, but when it comes to doing something major it just doesn't happen. I'm the only one who tries to pull everyone together. I seem to bring everybody together and they kind of lean on me. I have to do all the phone calls and all the peace making. I have to do everything I can to bring everyone together. I've busted my balls doing it, but I think it's so important. There's strength in unity. If there's no unity then we are all off doing our separate things, which we've done for many, many years. Can you imagine if we came together with all that talent? I am working on it and I'm never giving up.
AM: That's a good attitude. What about from now on? Are you still interested in recording?
EL: That's a very good question because I will always love making music and I am looking at producers right now. I'm looking at some of the real fine producers of today that can give me that 'today sound' without compromising the music. I want to stay out there and give the fans that I do have new challenges. So yes I would love to record, however it's a very expensive proposition today since record companies no longer position themselves like before, so no one foots the bill but you. I did that with my last two projects. I'm still waiting to get any money from those two projects.
AM: That reminds me, your latest release, 'Secrets' actually has a similar feeling to 'Eloise.' They don't sound alike but they are each classic.
EL: I agree. You know 'The Key' was really difficult to make.
AM: It's a gorgeous album!
EL: Thank you. I'm glad you said that because that was not an easy project to do because I was on the road and for the first time I was doing a project where I didn't need to be in the studio. The tracks were done and sent to me. This to me was unheard of because I like doing live recordings. That was the difference. When I got a chance to record 'Secrets' I did it live with all the musicians in the studio. 'The Key' was totally different and the other thing about 'The Key' is we tried to duplicate some of the songs from 'Eloise' and my theory is if you can't do it better then don't touch it at all. I was somewhat disappointed with the outcome of the old material, but the new stuff I love. I do like the Spanky Wilson cut, 'The Last Day Of Summer' and that's where I had to kick butt with the producer! I said, "Look I'm coming in off the road and I want to do something live with musicians." So that was recorded live and that's why it stands out.
AM: That was so exciting when it came out because it had been twenty years since your last release.
EL: Exactly, it had been forever.
AM: It was a savior!
EL: It was a savior for me.
AM: In the meantime you did a Broadway show!
EL: I certainly did.
AM: You originated it didn't you?
EL: Yes and I was one of the writers. The show is called 'It Ain't Nothing But The Blues' and I'm proud to say that I was the critics favorite which garnered me a Drama Desk Award nomination and we had four Tony nominations of which we did not win, but we did get the four nominations. I later got nominated for the Helen Hayes award as well. It was wonderful to get all these nominations. To get noticed by Broadway is a whole other genre.
AM: The hardest thing on earth!
EL: Exactly! I have to admit that Broadway was always my first love. That's where I actually started my career. I was cast in 'Hair' but I chose to go the Playboy nightclub circuit instead. I think that was a wise choice because I learned how to not be just a singer but to entertain and how to be a total performer.
To learn more about Eloise visit her web site http://www.eloiselaws.com/
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