Laurie (Middaugh) Slater - Biography

Little Ms. bundle of energy, Laurie Slater!
That’s the best description if you’ve never met her. Laurie has carried a passion for music her entire life. She remembers sitting at the piano as a little girl, singing old country songs with her grandparents, or gathering around the fire with one of her many uncles who played guitar, fiddle, harmonica, or spoons. There was always music — it filled her world with joy, connection, and wonder.

She sang in the school choir, loved to act and perform, and was always sparkling on stage. At home, she was surrounded by the sounds of Johnny Cash, June Carter, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, The Beach Boys, Elvis, and so many more.
Her teen years brought new inspirations — Suzi Quatro, Chrissie Hynde, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Yes, Genesis, and, of course, her lifelong icons Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks.

Laurie Slater is a dynamic vocalist whose career spans more than three decades of live performance, from powerhouse rock and country stages to intimate rooms. Her voice defies genre — equally at home delivering the raw soul of Etta James or Eva Cassidy or Wynonna Judd, the powerhouse ballads of Celine Dion and Adele, the rock grit of Pat Benatar, the warmth of Linda Ronstadt, and the high-energy fire of Tina Turner.
Drawing on influences across rock, blues, soul, pop, country, and folk, Laurie’s performances celebrate the golden eras of music while infusing each song with her signature authenticity and emotional depth.

Known for her magnetic stage presence and vocal versatility, Laurie embodies the fearless power and passion of icons like Pink, Cher, and Lady Gaga — effortlessly shifting from soulful intimacy to full-throttle rock or pop energy. She has fronted bands, led tributes, and shared her artistry through projects like The Stevie Project, her heartfelt homage to Stevie Nicks.

Whether interpreting a timeless classic or reimagining a modern hit, Laurie’s voice carries a truth and spirit that resonate deeply with audiences of every generation. She is also a songwriter and lyricist, often saying with a wink, “It’s never too late — this might just be the year I release some of my original songs!”

 
Her very first band was called Little Rock in 1993 and was named after Reba MacIntyre! For two years they rehearsed religiously and played hall parties and weddings and festivals in and around St. Albert and Villeneuve and Wabamun with a mix of country/rock, and had a lot of fun with that!  Pictured Laurie/LP Slater, Mark Koreman (Bass), Wayne Bellerose (Lead Guitar), Ron Machuk (hiding on the Drums), and  Rory Sallis (Guitar) not in pic.

Next came life on the road and a new LP Slater band : )

LP Slater with L to R Dion Eastcoast (Drums/Vocals), Randy Rink (Guitar), Roger Arsenault (Bass/Vocals) - They played all over Alberta! Drummers sometimes included Christopher Bowden! Dale Wiens! Tony Smith! Laurie got to play with some of the best musicians! (RIP Roger! thank you for the music and our friendship! xo ) The LP Slater band photo was up on that wall of fame behind me, and sadly"The Oil Can" Fort MAc has since burned and gone. So many incredible bands played there! I was honoured to play there multiple multiple times!

On tour with Bobby Curtola! and a stellar 26 member cast and crew! That's Henri Brown of HB Concept in the red! and Elvis's cousin Donna Presley in the white! Johnny Vallis, Mike Curtola, Danny Desentis, Jonathan Brown (Tik Tak) and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone! It was a 26 member cast and crew!

Laurie played the  club circuit for a decade '95-2005!  The LP Slater band played all the big honkytonks and night clubs all over Alberta and Saskatchewan. She was surrounded by talent! Thank God for all the players she learned from and had the honour to play with! It was hot times for bands back then and with lots of great gigs! A few honoraable mentions - Dale Wiens! Harvey Cunningham! Billy Boissenault! Derek Littlejohn, Rob Williams, Rob Anderson, Stormin Norman Burgess! Monty Paul! Eddie Atteo, Bruce Ball, Doc Anderson, Carla Rugg, Terry Kole,  and more!

 In 2000 Laurie was featured on a duet with singer/songwriter Henri Ferguson on a song called Lately my Love on his  CD called Missing the Boat  - produced by Barry Sherwood, and featuring Ray Titiryn on Saxophone, and which Internet critics said could have been a chart hit with LP's vocals! Click on the pic  to open the song (Lately my Love) on Spotify - with Henri Ferguson : )