Shona Laing

Shona Laing

Shona Laing performing at WOMAD 2009 in New Zealand
Background information
Born (1955-10-09) 9 October 1955
Genres Rock, new wave
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 1972–present
Associated acts Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Shona Laing (born 9 October 1955) is a New Zealand musician. She has had several hits in her native country, as well as a few minor international hits, most notably "(Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" and "Soviet Snow". Laing also contributed to the Manfred Mann's Earth Band album Somewhere in Afrika. Laing also contributed music to, and appeared in, the 1985 action film Shaker Run.[1]

Currently she resides in New Zealand and occasionally plays live shows, enjoying a small but devoted fan base.

Musical career

Laing first came to prominence in 1972 as a 17-year-old schoolgirl, coming runner-up in the television talent show "New Faces" with her song "1905". Signed to a recording contract with Phonogram, her first two singles, "1905" and "Show Your Love" both certified gold and both peaked at number 4 on the New Zealand charts. In 1973 she won two Rata awards: Best New Artist and Recording Artist Of The Year.[2] Laing twice represented New Zealand at the Tokyo Music Festival, in 1973 (with the song Masquerade) and 1974. In 1975 she travelled to Britain and was based there for the next seven years, where in 1982, she was a vocalist for Manfred Mann's Earth Band alongside fellow New Zealander, Chris Thompson.

Laing was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame as the Legacy Award recipient at the 2013 New Zealand Music Awards in November 2013.[3]

Personal life

During a concert on 18 July 1996, Shona Laing came out as bisexual and noted that she was in a relationship with another woman.[4][5]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Details Peak chart
positions
NZ[6]
1972 Whispering Afraid
1974 Shooting Stars Are Only Seen at Night
1982 Tied to the Tracks
1985 Genre
1987 South 16
1992 New on Earth 4
1994 Shona
  • Label: TriStar Music/ Sony Music
  • Catalogue: WK 66165
35
1997 Roadworks
2007 Pass the Whisper
  • Released: 1 November 2007
  • Label: Independent Label
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

Year Title Details Peak chart
positions
NZ[6]
1991 1905–1990 Retrospective 19
2002 The Essential Shona Laing
  • Label: Columbia
  • Catalogue: 5096842000
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
NZ[6] Alternative
Songs
(US)
[7]
Hot Dance
Club Play
(US)
[8]
1972 "1905" 4 Whispering Afraid
1973 "Show Your Love" 4
"Masquerade" 11
"Someone To Be With" Non-album single
1974 "I'm Crying Too" Shooting Stars Are Only Seen at Night
1975 "Don't You Think It's Time" Non-album single
"I Love My Feet" 39 Whispering Afraid
1980 "Whistling Waltzes" Tied to the Tracks
"Don't Tell Me"
1981 "Bundle of Nerves" Non-album single
1984 "America" 44 Genre
1985 "One in a Miilion"
1986 "(Glad I'm) Not A Kennedy" 2 14 South
1987 "Drive Baby Drive" 45
"Soviet Snow" 32
"Caught (between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea)"
1992 "Walk Away (42nd Street)" 14 New on Earth
"Fear of Falling" 26
"Thief to Silver" 35
1993 "Mercy of Love"
1994 "Kick Back" Shona
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards

New Zealand Music Awards

Year Nominee/work Award Result
1973 Shona Laing Recording Artist of the Year Won[9]
1973 Shona Laing Best New Artist Won[9]
1985 Shona Laing – Genre Album of the Year Nominated[10]
1987 "Glad I'm Not a Kennedy" – Shona Laing Single of the Year Nominated[11]
1987 Shona Laing Best Female Vocalist Won[11]
1987 Shona Laing International Achievement Nominated[11]
1987 Kerry Brown and Bruce Sheridan – "Glad I'm Not a Kennedy" (Shona Laing) Best Video Nominated[11]
1987 Shona Laing Best Songwriter Nominated[11]
1988 Shona Laing – South Album of the Year Nominated[12]
1988 Shona Laing Best Female Vocalist Won[12]
1988 Shona Laing International Achievement Nominated[12]
1988 Stephen McCurdy, Shona Laing and Graeme Myhre – "South" Best Producer Nominated[12]
1994 Shona Laing Best Female Vocalist Nominated[13]
1995 Shona Laing – Shona Album of the Year Nominated[14]
2013 Shona Laing Legacy Award Won[3]

References

  1. "Shaker Run". IMDb.com. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  2. "New Zealand Music of the 60's and 70's". Sergent.com.au. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 "VNZMA Finalists 2013". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  4. "A Lesbian Decade". Web.archive.org. 30 September 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  5. "A Chronology of Homosexuality in New Zealand – Part 5 – Queer History New Zealand". Gaynz.net.nz. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 "SHONA LAING IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  7. "Shona Laing". Billboard. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  8. "Shona Laing". Billboard. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  9. 1 2 "1973 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  10. "1985 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "1987 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "1988 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  13. "1994 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  14. "1995 Winners". NZ Music Awards. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
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