Biography

In late 1996, Nyro, like her mother before her, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After the diagnosis, Columbia Records prepared a double-disc CD retrospective of material from her years at the label. The company involved Nyro herself, who selected the tracks and approved the final project. She lived to see the release of Stoned Soul Picnic: The Best of Laura Nyro (1997), and was reportedly pleased with the outcome. She died of ovarian cancer in Danbury, Connecticut, on April 8, 1997, at 49, the same age at which the disease had claimed the life of her mother. Her ashes were buried beneath a maple tree on the grounds of her house in Danbury.

She was ranked #52 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.

Her biggest hit records came from cover versions of her songs, by other artists. Among them are "And When I Die" by Blood Sweat & Tears, "Eli's Comin'" by Three Dog Night, "Stoney End" by Barbra Streisand, and "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic" and "Save The Country" by The 5th Dimension.

She dropped out of New York's Performing Arts School without graduating, to pursue her music career.

She performed at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Her performance was not as well-received as those by Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, and rumors persisted for years that Nyro had been booed offstage. A recording of her set surfaced in the late 1990s, that proved otherwise.