Welcome to the Official home page for Laurie Z.®
Pianist and Electronic Musician, Keyboardist, Composer, Arranger and Producer...

Career & Recognition
Beautiful, intelligent and passionate, Laurie Z. was clearly in control of her career. Laurie ran her own independent record label, Zebra Productions, although she was the first to gratefully acknowledge the help received from a large group of friends and fans. For Laurie, music was about moving people to dance, to feel, to rejoice, and to laugh.

Laurie toured extensively and opened for instrumentalists like Herbie Hancock, Leo Kottke, and Tim Weisburg and performed at major clubs Troubadour and Roxy. Laurie Z. concerts were frequently mentioned as a ‘Top Pick’ in the Los Angeles Times. Improvisations created in concert by asking for concepts from her audience were often the highlight of a Laurie Z. performance. (Laurie said she seemed to like to create under pressure.)

From 1989 to 1994 Laurie played Disneyland's Tomorrowland Terrace in the rock group "Voyager", and was the featured keyboardist at the Anaheim Pond for the Mighty Ducks professional hockey team's inauguaral season. Laurie could also be heard performing regularly at Nordstrom's, South Bay Galleria, playing solo piano at the Manhattan Country Club in Manhattan Beach, CA, and performing around the South Bay as bandleader for the "Z Three Trio" and "Laurie Z. Band."

Laurie played national tours for Alesis and Yamaha and represented Roland and Kawai products as a Consultant and Product Specialist in research and development, presenting high tech concerts and clinics regularly at NAMM, CES, COMDEX and Atari conventions. Her seminars, designed to help other Independent artists, were always to standing room only crowds. Beginning in 1991, Laurie Z. became the featured pianist for Peterbilt Motors at the International Trucking Show, performing for Peterbilt for over a decade. She received a total of 15 Grammy nomination considerations. Her television music appearances included Fame, the Disney Cable Network and DirecTV's "InTune." Laurie Zeluck Carter (October 12, 1957 – February 9, 2006)

“I remember when I bought my first synth. I was terrified I was going to blow it up or something. It was cold and scary at first. But you can get through that. Synthesizers are simply tools with which we create music. Each synth has its advantages and the best way that I’ve found to use the technology is to mix the best that each instrument has to offer. Each song has a picture to paint, a different mood. Each instrument has its own palette of color, its own statement to make. Synthesizers have their own unique qualities and inspire different kinds of creation.” ~Laurie Z.~

PDF downloads of Sheet Music for "Sunrise" and "Roots - The Solo Piano Songbook" and guitar tab for "Invisibility" are available at Gumroad.com

FREE download of Michael's Song is available in PDF format via Gumroad.com

Laurie Z.'s "Roots" and "Heart of the Holidays" recordings have been added to the permanent collection of the U.S. Library of Congress!

THE LAURIE Z. SCHOLARSHIP FUND

A native of Santa Barbara, California, Laurie and husband Michael Carter moved to Camano Island, Washington soon after they were married. Laurie made sure her estate would benefit the Stanwood community and The Laurie Z. Scholarship Fund is meant to help girls further their music education. The Laurie Z. Music Scholarship is open to girls at Stanwood or Port Susan Middle Schools. This is the first time a scholarship for middle school students has been offered in the area,

When Laurie was once asked "What drives you in your art? What keeps you going?" she replied:

"It's really very simple. Music is so completely a part of me that it drives me - I don't have to do anything to encourage it in my life. I've got music in my head 24/7, and for me, it's just a matter of sitting down and capturing moments of what's there in the creation of new music. Music is a part of my daily life, like breathing, and I can't imagine life without it."

The Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation administers the Laurie Z. Scholarship Fund on behalf of Laurie’s family and friends. The Stanwood Camano Area Foundation is a non-profit organization. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Foundation at PO Box 1209, Stanwood, WA 98292. Checks may be made payable to “SCAF” with “Laurie Z.” in the memo line. Telephone: 360-629-6878 Email: info@s-caf.org.

January 10, 2014

Received this lovely note from Michael Handley RE: Laurie Z. Scholarship Fund - "Got a lovely card and picture from Cypress Payne, the latest recipient of the Laurie Z. music grant":

"Dear friends and family of Laurie Z. I want to tell you how much this grant means to me. Now I will have a quality violin to play for many years. We would have never even dreamed of getting the violin I have now before we received this grant. I now have a nicer violin than I ever thought possible. It makes such a big difference in my playing. I enjoy playing my music a lot more now. Thank you so much." ~ Love, Cypress Payne

Laurie's "Invisibility", has been transcribed beautifully by virtuoso guitarist Steve Gibb and is featured on his new album THE BOATMAN - Available on Pandora Music, Bandcamp and other digital platforms.

“A work of effortless Celtic Magic. This truly solo album marks Gibb out as a world class finger style player. An absolute must for your collection. Listen to Gibb and be inspired, his examples here are truly exemplary” - Seán Laffey - (Irish Music Magazine)