instrumentation: clawhammer banjo, guitar, dobro, bodhran, violin, cittern and voice Biography Laurel was raised in the woods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and earned a degree from University of Michigan School of Music,Theatre & Dance, studying Performing Arts Technology with an emphasis on multimedia art forms. In 2008 she studied traditional Finnish music at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, adding to her already rich blend of musical influences. Laurel began her musical career at age 7 with the folk and traditional group White Water, sharing contra dances and concerts at venues such as The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan,the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival in Finland, and the Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival in Marquette, Michigan. Drawing inspiration from those roots, Laurel has dug deep into solo artistry. She composes instrumental tunes with an emphasis on rhythm and a connection to traditional folk dance, and she writes songs with lyrics that reflect strong insights and sharp wordsmithing. In addition to her solo career, Laurel is an integral member of several musical ensembles, including Orpheum Bell, Red Tail Ring, Anna Ash and the Family Tree, and Red Arrow Highway. Alongside her training at the University of Michigan, Laurel has sought out a wide variety of music and art education, by spending time with master musicians to study different traditional music and by keeping her ears wide open. Her skills in the fine arts lie in metalsmithing, video art, and fibers. “I feel a great hunger to learn and to dig. My greatest inspirations are the oldest tunes, with melody and lyric that will ring and haunt for centuries more. I’ve got my steeltoes on, ready to stomp out a tune with ancestors.” -Laurel Premo "In a time where MySpace is lowering the standard and expectations of what an artist should be, Laurel shows that taking the time to develop talent, songwriting, musicianship, and a message is still the most important thing in being a real artist!" -PJ Olsson, CBS Records Recording Artist