Steve Lauri (26 April 1954) is a British guitarist and a member of the rock/pop band

The Hollies The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke (singer), Allan Clarke and Graham ...

Early life and education

Lauri was born in London. He began performing professionally in the mid seventies.

Career

Lauri started his working life as an apprentice in the avionics industry with GEC Avionics in

Rochester, Kent Rochester ( ) is a town in the unitary authority of Medway, in Kent, England. It is at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway, about from London. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Chatham, Rainham, Strood and Gillin ...

, but quit to pursue his professional music career. Lauri worked briefly on U.S. Army and Air Force bases in Germany, and then moved on to the London pub circuit. In 1977 he joined pop disco group

5000 Volts 5000 Volts is the name of a British disco recording act that achieved success throughout Europe during the 1970s. The group consisted of vocalists Tina Charles and Martin Jay, with a changing group of session musicians. Career They release ...

, and the group toured the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and South Africa and had two top ten hits while Lauri was with them. They also supported the Stylistics on their British tour, including their performance at the Royal Albert Hall. In 1979 Lauri joined the

Bonnie Tyler Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album '' The World Starts Tonight'' a ...

Band as a singing guitarist, touring Europe and America to promote ''It's a Heartache'', Tyler's second hit single. In 1980 Steve joined Sprinkler, the resident band at The Green Man pub in south east London, where he performed until the mid-eighties, when the band was called upon as session/backing players to the hit group

Bucks Fizz Bucks Fizz were a British pop group that achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comp ...

. Lauri took part in many UK and European tours with them, and was injured in the Bucks Fizz coach crash. Lauri joined the newly formed

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...

Band in 1987. He toured with Richard for three years, including visits to New Zealand, Australia and Europe, and recorded with the band on the album ''Thief in the Night''. Lauri took part in the concert called The Event at the now demolished Wembley Stadium. In the early nineties Lauri toured with

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

, again as guitarist/vocalist. He later worked with the glam rock

Glitter Band The Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first fo ...

, both touring and in the recording studio. From 1996 to 1999 Steve worked in various theatres, playing guitar for comedian

Billy Pearce Billy Pearce (born 1 February 1951) is an English performer, comedian, actor and entertainer. A regular on UK television in the 1980s and 1990s, Pearce has been described as a "supreme entertainer". He particularly loves performing at the Alhambr ...

, singer

David Essex David Essex (born David Albert Cook; 23 July 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. Since the 1970s, he has attained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK (including two number ones) and 16 Top 40 albums. Internationally, Essex had the most ...

, and as part of comedy duo

Hale and Pace Hale and Pace were an English comedy double-act that performed in clubs and on radio and television in the United Kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s. The duo was made up of Gareth Hale and Norman Pace, with the ''Hale and Pace'' television show r ...

's backing band. Also in the nineties he played at many recording sessions at Pelican Studios, which was part owned by Ray Stiles, bass guitarist with The Hollies. Lauri joined The Hollies in 2004 as a guitarist and backing vocalist,"Hollies turn back clock; REVIEWS The Hollies SYMPHONY HALL."
''Southern Echo''., also ''Birmingham Post & Mail'', via The Free Library. and is a contributor to the harmonies for which The Hollies are known. He recorded with The Hollies on their studio albums, ''Staying Power'' and ''Then, Now and Always'', as well as their double CD titled, ''Hollies Live Hits, We Got the Tunes''. Laurie has been part of the Hollies tour since 2004. On tour he is the featured singer on several of their hits, including ''King Midas in Reverse'' and ''Here I Go Again''. He performed with the band during their 50th anniversary tour in 2012, as well as on the following album, ''Fifty at 50''. Lauri performs as a solo artist when not on tour with the band. He has written and recorded many original songs, and released his first solo CD in 2012, titled ''At Last''. He toured the US in support of this CD and subsequently recorded a second album, ''Curfew''."Steve Lauri's new album"
''WJLA'' By Fasia Hardy, 8 August 2014

References

External links

*http://www.hollies.co.uk *http://www.stevelaurimusic.com *http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-hollies-mn0000087985/biography {{DEFAULTSORT:Lauri, Steve 1954 births Living people