"Thousands of people have sent me their personal messages sharing their journeys, struggles, pains, joys, challenges and inspirations. I'm very humbled that the songs have touched people, each in their own way. All of you have become my teachers and inspiration."
Lazer Lloyd is an American roots singer-songwriter and guitarist who has spent more than three decades writing, recording and touring. Born in New York City and raised in Madison, Connecticut, he grew up in a house full of music - Dylan, Jerry Jeff Walker and Kris Kristofferson on the turntable - and saw Stevie Ray Vaughan live at fourteen, a night that set the course of his life.
His songs draw on folk and Americana with a lifelong love of the blues underneath, carried by a deep, lived-in voice and expressive guitar - heartfelt songs with a good message, from a road-tested artist who still tours.
Through more than a dozen albums, one thing has never changed: the songs carry a universal spirituality and love that sees everyone as one - a teaching he shares at his shows, online, and above all in the songs themselves, lifting life's joys and struggles into something that heals. "Burning Thunder" reached No. 1 on Roots Music Report's blues singles chart, "Backstreets" has passed 3 million streams on Spotify. His instrumental "Forget The World" has drawn over 4.6 million views on YouTube, with listeners describing it as a refuge for the soul and returning to it over the years for comfort and moments away from the world. His new single, "Back To The Mountain", arrives November 20, ahead of a new solo acoustic album, "Livin Right".
Lazer is a husband, father and grandfather. "Family First" is how he has structured his life - and the simple-living values in the songs are the ones he lives.
“As a young songwriter and guitar player, I loved Neil Young with his super sensitive acoustic and singing just suddenly firing it up with searing guitar. I first heard Stevie Ray Vaughn live at 14 and my father also took me to hear Santana - those were life-changing experiences - seeing masters who performed on a level of prayer through music on stage. That set my mind and heart on playing music for life.”
In 2015, Lots of Love Records put out Lazer Lloyd's first major international release of new material, a self-titled album that introduced Lloyd's songwriting and unique sound became one of the top blues rock records that year getting widespread critical acclaim with "Burning Thunder" reaching number one on the blues rock chart.
Lazer’s second major international release "Freedom's Child" was dropped in September 2017 including 12 new tracks: 11 originals plus Lazer’s take on Dylan and Hendrix’s "All Along the Watchtower" recorded with Grammy nominated producer & engineer David Ivory at his studio near Philadelphia. The album shot up the Americana charts as awareness of Lloyd’s music grew into an expanded fan base of roots music lovers.
Canadian music sage John Kereiff wrote, “Critics have noted Lloyd’s skill as a lyricist, saying he is 'able to elevate life’s joys and struggles into inspirational material'. Couple that with supple musicianship, and that makes “Freedom’s Child” one of the most compelling discs of 2017. Watch out, though - this one’s gonna hit you right in the feels. Five Stars" John Kereiff (Gonzo Okanagan).
On tour in Connecticut in October of 2017, Lazer stopped off at Horizon Studios to record a few of his new songs with wizard of sound, Vic Steffens in West Haven. The result was several tracks including the Americana anthem “Backstreets” which was released as a single on Thanksgiving Day and went on to pass over 3 million streams on Spotify, going viral on Facebook and Youtube as well.
Selected Reviews
“"Lazer Lloyd's "The Simple Life" is like coming home to comfort food for the soul. He's managed to hit on a growing universal longing for simple living, fueled by the turbo- charged pace of life in the age of technology and materialism. A cathartic anthem of healing for the masses, "The Simple Life" aims to help one refocus on life's true priorities." Wes Cobb, Westart
“Razor sharp guitar and exuberant vocals.” Downbeat
"He puts soul into every note he sings and plays." Tahoe Onstage
"Johnny Cash meets Steve Earle..." Digital Journal
"Lloyd’s guitar skills are impeccable, with a rich, deep vocal delivery...a consummate musician, writer, and storyteller" Don & Sheryl Crow (Nashville Blues Society)
“Tough blues-rockers, soul ballads, and funky Hendrix-inspired rock.” Vintage Guitar
“Razor sharp guitar and exuberant vocals.” Downbeat
"He puts soul into every note he sings and plays." Tahoe Onstage
"Johnny Cash meets Steve Earle..." Digital Journal
"Lloyd’s guitar skills are impeccable, with a rich, deep vocal delivery...a consummate musician, writer, and storyteller" Don & Sheryl Crow (Nashville Blues Society)
Vintage Guitar magazine featured him as a talent to watch showing off his chops on "tough blues-rockers, soul ballads, and funky Hendrix-inspired rock".
“Fasten your seatbelts!” wrote 1970s Rolling Stone rock music sage Gary von Tersch of the self-titled "Lazer Lloyd" CD. He added, “I’m impressed by Lazer’s tight compositions”, “deeply expressive writing, plangent vocals and crackerjack guitar and harmonica”.
Elmore Magazine´s Jim Hynes compares Lazer to “Santana at his best”
Canadian music & arts veteran writer, Bob Mersereau calls him "Muddy Waters on electric steroids."
Wasser-Prawda in Germany, "This is sacred music..."
Keys and Chords from Belgium's wrote, "Palestinians and Israelis, listen to Lazer Lloyd and there will be peace".
Blues Matters in the UK wrote of the 2015 self-titled album, "This CD was a revelation" and went on to do an extensive interview with Lloyd in 2016.