Biography

A fine singer with a beautiful voice, Loretta McNair is a very talented songwriter whose lyrics give fresh takes and viewpoints about universal topics, especially love and relationships. While her previous CD, Deeper Than Indigo, was an impressive effort, her most recent recording, Intimate Portrait, is a giant step forward. “Intimate Portrait is a collection of my best writing,” says Loretta. “It is all acoustic, and it has the vocals and the lyrics up front.” A superior storyteller, she introduces a dozen fine originals on this memorable set.

Raised in Southern California, Loretta remembers, “My grandfather, who played mandolin and banjo, bought me a guitar when I was 12 years old and sent me to guitar school to have lessons. One of my teachers was the backup guitarist for John Davidson. My mother played piano and she wrote songs for all of her children. I taught my sisters how to sing harmonies. We would have family jam sessions.” Loretta spent a period playing classical guitar but was more interested in the music of the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the British Invasion bands, and she learned harmonies from listening to the Lennon Sisters. She got occasional calls to perform as a single act for hotels, showcases and weddings but was a realist. “It was a dream of mine to be a singer, but my grandfather taught me that I would need a backup plan because he said hardly any artist can make a living.”

Although Loretta chose to work in the business world, she always sang and performed. She appeared in musicals (The Music Man was a favorite), worked with an international chorus for four years, and particularly enjoyed being part of an ensemble. In addition, she wrote music, starting when she was 12 on the very day that she received her first guitar. A turning point in her career occurred in the mid-1990s when her famous friend, Herbie Hancock, heard a demo she had recorded. On it she performed three songs that she co-wrote with a musician who was working with the keyboardist during that period. Hancock encouraged her and would later say, “Loretta’s songs are fresh and unique. Her voice is clear, with a beautiful balance between warmth and edgy power. Her lyrics are exquisite and the musical performances are gripping with emotion. The more I hear, the more I want to hear.” Loretta was inspired to focus on her music career. She has since been a guest vocalist on Mars Lasar’s CD The Eleventh Hour and performed her own material in Los Angeles and Orange County clubs and coffeehouses.

She first gained attention when she recorded Loretta McNair and Blues Of The World, followed by Deeper Than Indigo. “The Blues Of The World CD did not have a central theme. They were simply songs that I liked with several of the other band members also contributing a selection apiece. Deeper Than Indigo has electric blues along with a couple of acoustic tracks, and it is mostly a very driving set. Intimate Portrait is the best representation of my music.”

Loretta McNair, who has developed into one of the most promising of today’s singer/songwriters, has on Intimate Portrait recorded several originals that could easily catch on as 21st century standards. For example, “That’s What I’m Here For” would be a natural for jazz-oriented singers. Throughout this highly appealing CD, Loretta is joined by sympathetic sidemen including Ian Francisco on piano, organ, guitar and strings. Five of the songs were written in collaboration with Francisco who Loretta calls “the best co-writer that I ever had.” The music overall is beyond simple categorization, containing aspects of folk, country, jazz and pop along with Loretta’s personality. Most of the songs deal with love and Loretta names “That’s What I’m Here For,” “Someone Who’ll Stay” and the heartbreaking “Everybody Lies” as being among her personal favorites. Many of the originals are based partly on experiences from her life, which accounts for the universal truths and fresh insights. Whether it is the wistful “When Memories Fly,” the forceful “I Don’t Need Your Love,” or the romantic “He Calls Me Angel,” there is a great deal of superior material for listeners to savor and enjoy.

For the future, Loretta says, “I have found my niche as far as the style that works best for me. I look forward to writing in other fields, especially country and pop, reaching as many people as possible, and writing, not just for myself, but for other artists.” It seems only a matter of time before Loretta McNair receives acclaim for both her rich songs and her heartfelt vocals.

In addition to her music, Loretta is a notable painter of portraits in oils. She also volunteers for a Presidential Award winning charity, The Unusual Suspects, teaching at-risk teens how to write, produce, stage and act in their own original plays. In 2009, with her assistance, they are producing a musical.