Laura Dyken

Laura Dyken’s musical journey began at a young age, as she and her twin sister, Judi, entertained their mother’s party guests with heartfelt duets. In 1976, Laura learned to play bluegrass guitar, and alongside Judi on mandolin, they performed on the streets of downtown Aspen during the summer. In 1979, she met her future husband, drummer Mark Dyken, at Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe.

In 1983, Laura co-founded the band Clan Dyken with Mark, his brothers Bear, Gary, and Leon, and Bear’s wife, Harmony. Her bluegrass roots brought a unique style of rhythm and vocals to the group, and she embraced the challenge of learning electric guitar. Over the years, Laura performed, recorded several albums, and toured both the U.S. and England with Clan Dyken until 1994.

In 1999, Laura crossed paths with Stan Emmons and Lillian McLeod during a production of A Piece of My Heart. She performed duets with Stan and sang with a 60’s-style girl group called the Earth Angels, founded by Lillian. After a long hiatus from performing, Laura reconnected with Lillian at a bluegrass jam in Columbia in the summer of 2023. Introduced to Julie Johnson, the musical chemistry was immediate, and after a few rehearsals, The ElderBerries were born.

With newfound freedom to experiment, Laura taught herself to play slide on the lap steel and electric guitar, even picking up a few notes on the banjo. Music has once again become the central focus of her creative endeavors, and she is excited to share her journey with The ElderBerries!