Laurie Anderson

Laurie Anderson was born in Glen Ellyn, an affluent village located in DuPage County, Illinois, United States to Mary Louise and Arthur T. Anderson.

She attended the Glenbard West High School in Ellyn Avenue and later attended Mills College, California and graduated in art history from the Barnard College, New York.

In 1969, she showcased her first art piece/performance, with an automobile horn on which she played the symphony.

In 1972, she graduated from Columbia University with a Masters in Fine Arts, specialising in sculpture. After graduation she worked as an art critic and art instructor and also illustrated children’s books.

In the 1970s, in one of her most memorable performances called ‘Duets On Ice’, she played the violin while wearing a pair of ice skates with frozen blades which melted after the performance.

In 1978, she delivered a performance at ‘The Nova Convention’ and also worked with comedian, Andy Kaufman.

In 1981, her half-sung-half-spoken hit single ‘O Superman’ was released. The song was an immediate success and she gained much fame and recognition. It also earned her a seven year album contract with Warner Bros. Records.

In 1981, she worked along with John Giorno and William S. Burroughs for the double album titled ‘You're the Guy I Want To Share My Money With’, originally recorded during the ‘Red Night’ spoken word tour.

In 1982, her debut album titled ‘Big Science’ was released by Warner Bros. Records. She also re-released the hit song ‘O Superman’ with this album. The main feature of this album was that it was based mainly on spoken word.

Released in 1981, ‘O Superman’ peaked at the number two position on the UK Singles Charts and the song was also at the top of the ‘Village Voice Pazz & Jop’ singles poll.

She directed the concert film ‘Home of the Brave’. Though not a financial success, the film received positive critical reviews.