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| Nicolette Larson | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nicolette Larson |
| Birth date | October 17, 1952 |
| Birth place | Helena, Montana, United States |
| Death date | December 16, 1997 |
| Death place | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation | Singer, musician |
| Years active | 1976–1997 |
| Notable works | "Lotta Love" |
Nicolette Larson was an American singer known for her work in country rock, pop, and soft rock during the 1970s and 1980s. She achieved mainstream success with a top-ten single and collaborated widely with prominent figures in rock music, country music, and popular music scenes, contributing notable session vocals and solo recordings. Larson's career intersected with major acts on the West Coast music circuit and she maintained a profile as both a featured backing vocalist and a solo artist.
Larson was born in Helena, Montana and raised in Bozeman, Montana and later Seattle, Washington. She attended local schools before moving to pursue music opportunities linked to the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Early influences and formative experiences connected her to regional folk music gatherings, country rock venues, and touring circuits that included associations with artists from Nashville, the Sunset Strip, and the broader West Coast music scene.
Larson began her professional career singing backing vocals and touring with regional bands before attracting attention from established musicians. She provided session vocals on albums by Neil Young, including performances connected to albums recorded in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Her collaborations extended to Emmylou Harris, Chris Isaak, Randy Newman, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Rod Stewart, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles (band), Gordon Lightfoot, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Elton John, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, and Patti Smith.
Her breakthrough as a solo artist came with a hit single produced during sessions involving West Coast studio musicians associated with Session musicians (rock and pop), leading to chart success on the Billboard Hot 100 and rotations on AM radio and FM radio. Larson released albums on labels that had rosters including artists from Warner Bros. Records, Capitol Records, and other major imprints, working with producers and arrangers linked to the Nashville sound and the Los Angeles studio scene. She toured with major acts on bills at venues like the Roxy Theatre, Whisky a Go Go, Fillmore West, The Forum (Inglewood, California), and international stages in London, Tokyo, Sydney, and Toronto.
Larson's style blended elements of country rock, soft rock, pop music, and adult contemporary music. Her vocal timbre and phrasing reflect influences from singers associated with country pop and folk rock traditions, including artists tied to Capitol Records and Asylum Records lineups. Critics compared aspects of her technique to contemporaries active on FM radio playlists and in Los Angeles studios. Her repertoire included covers and originals that drew on the songwriting traditions of figures like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Carole King, Paul Simon, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, Jimmy Webb, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris.
Larson's private life intersected with peers from the music industry, studio communities, and touring ensembles associated with the Los Angeles music scene. She maintained residences in California while frequently traveling to recording locations in Nashville, New York City, and international music centers like London and Tokyo. Her social and professional circles included musicians, producers, and industry figures linked to Warner Music Group, Capitol Records, Asylum Records, and major booking agencies that handled tours at venues such as Madison Square Garden and Royal Albert Hall.
Larson's work as both a backing vocalist and solo performer influenced session practices within the West Coast sound and contributed to recordings by noted songwriters and performers. Her collaborations are cited in histories of the California sound and the cross-pollination between country and rock that characterized late 20th-century American popular music. Posthumous assessments appear in retrospectives covering artists from the 1970s music scene, 1980s pop, and the broader catalogues of musicians with whom she recorded, including entries in discographies of Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and other contemporary figures.
Albums: - Studio albums released during her career on major labels and independent imprints, often featuring session contributors connected to Los Angeles session musicians, Nashville session musicians, and the West Coast producer community.
Selected singles: - A top-ten single that received airplay on Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary chart outlets, with promotional appearances on television programs covering music from the 1970s and 1980s.
Compilation appearances, guest vocals, and session credits appear across the discographies of artists including Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carole King, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, and others.
Larson received industry recognition through chart placements on Billboard listings and acknowledgement in music press covering the 1970s music scene and 1980s pop. Her contributions are noted in liner notes, sessionographies, and retrospective compilations assembled by labels and music historians documenting the careers of major figures in rock music, country music, and popular music.
Category:American singers Category:1952 births Category:1997 deaths