Laura Pursell

Laura Pursell is a singer, recording artist actress, and writer. She was born in Nashville but found her voice in Los Angeles. Her award-winning autobiographical one-woman show about her childhood, "The Pope of Jocelyn Hollow” won the 2017 TAG Studio Solo Festival and had two runs at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and The Actors Group Studio in Burbank. Her comedic chops are featured in the “Baton Rouge” episode of “AJ and the Queen” starring RuPaul and produced by Michael Patrick King on Netflix. She has appeared on TV, film, stage and several acclaimed web series.

Laura was born in a household filled with music. Her father was Bill Pursell, legendary pianist, composer, and Music Row sideman to Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins and more. It wasn’t until Laura moved to LA in the 90’s that she began singing, and soon afterwards, Laura and her dad collaborated for years on recordings and in live performances in LA, Nashville and in St. Petersburg, Russia. 

As a singer, Laura has recorded half a dozen CD albums (4 with her father) and appeared as a guest artist on albums for Doug MacDonald and Patrick Barnitt.  She has performed live with the crème de la crème of jazz musicians in southern CA venues Catalina Bar and Grill, Vitello’s, The Grove, The Money Tree, Barone’s, Viva Cantina, Rava Winery, Vicky’s of Sante Fe, and more. Laura was in production on a 6th studio album with her dad when he contracted Covid in August 2020. He tragically passed away three weeks later. Laura relocated to Nashville and finished the album, “Lost in Time - A Tribute to Bill Pursell” in 2022.  It contains her father’s final arrangements and studio recordings.

Her next album, “Shooting Star”, is a rock/country project she started working on pre-pandemic with drummer and producer Chris Ross. This collection will be released in the later part of 2023.

Laura is also a competitive figure skater, Nashville skating coach, and a member of the Scott Hamilton Skating Club.