This is the kind of album rarely seen or heard any more, a throwback to the days of live recording in a big studio, with a full string section and live rhythm players. It also combines the considerable talents of father/daughter team Bill and Laura Pursell. Often compared to the late singers Karen Carpenter and Eva Cassidy, vocalist and songwriter Laura Pursell blends a combination of angelic soulfulness with west coast cool. Her voice and music defy categorization – she has recorded everything from jazz to pop to country to electronica. Bill Pursell is a Nashville session legend, who has recorded with Marty Robbins, Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, and scores of others. He had his own hit record on Columbia in 1963, as the artist on the instrumental single “Our Winter Love”. "The Very Last Dance Hall Left in L.A." is Laura's 5th full-length CD album and is truly a family affair. It brings her together again with Netcom Music, her artist father, her producer uncle and a host of LA musicians, some of whom she grew up with. This album began with an idea from Ray Clawson to record three tracks recorded in May, 2014 in Nashville, TN. It concluded with seven more in December of that year. Bill Pursell was given carte blanche to create the sound he wanted, with the musicians he wanted, and the result was 10 tracks of beautiful lush orchestration featuring the string lines he is known for. Laura wrote the lyrics for the title track, "The Very Last Dance Hall Left in LA" 10 years ago, and it was based on a true story about a disappearing time and place. Co-writer Fred Burch found the lyrics and helped re-shape them, and Bill set them to music. A funky undulating Latin riff propels the story forward as Laura sings about Roger and Mary dancing away "in the very last dance hall left in L.A." This set the tone for the rest of the album. Tunes were chosen based on the idea of nostalgia, loss and acceptance. "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You)" is a lesser-known Hank Williams chestnut and it's been given the royal carpet treatment here by arranger Steve Mauldin. "For All We Know" pays tribute to the late Karen Carpenter, one of Laura's favorite singers, and Bill came up with a completely different opening motif than the one associated with the familiar Carpenters' arrangement. "I'll Be Seeing You" was Ray's favorite tune, and a song Laura had never sung before, so there were no preconceived ideas about it. Bill created an intimate setting of simply piano and vocal, backed by an unforgettable layered background of strings. He describes it as "solitary, introverted, a memory song". It's a showpiece of the album. Between the two recording sessions, the 110-year old historical Pursell family home in Nashville was packed up and sold in August, 2014. After this emotionally-draining experience, it gave new meaning to "Home", a tune recorded and co-written by Michael Buble. Steve Mauldin handled the arrangement for "You Don't Know Me", a gorgeous treatment with an Old Hollywood style string accompaniment. "Strange" has an interesting history. Originally recorded by Patsy Cline, Bill Pursell was actually on that record, playing vibes, in 1963. Fred Burch co-wrote the tune with Mel Tillis and was in the studio control room when it was re-cut 50 years later. Bill, playing piano on the tune this time around, handled the arrangement and threw in a nod to "Our Winter Love". (Listen, and you'll hear the motif.) "If I Could Reach You" was the tune that started the entire project. Ray heard it on the radio one afternoon and decided Laura should sing it. Originally recorded by Marilyn McCoo and the Fifth Dimension, this beautiful song is rarely heard anymore. Jon Colton Barry, a new friend of Laura's, was playing "I Wanna Look Good for My Man" at a party on his guitar one evening in 2013. Laura was hooked on the catchy melody and lyrics and told him she'd love to record it. The saucy, sassy tune is given a modern broadway-esque treatment here. Finally, "Some Other Time", the standard written by the team of Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green fittingly closes the collection. It's Laura's favorite song.