Laura Ainsworth has appeared on many stages in dramatic, comedy and musical roles, from Emily Dickinson in Susan Sontag’s “Alice in Bed” to Mrs. Anna in “The King & I,”  to lending her rich mezzo-soprano voice to Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me" in “Swingin’ With The Big Band.”

Laura began pursing music early, as a second-generation prodigy.  Her late father, Bill Ainsworth, was a renowned big band musician who played with Freddy Martin and other top bandleaders, and at around 16, was possibly the youngest member ever of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.  As a young girl, Laura watched enraptured as her dad accompanied such idols as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme and Marilyn McCoo, playing lead sax and clarinet for Dallas' famed Fairmont Hotel Venetian Room Orchestra.

Laura grew up worshiping comedienne/singers Madeline Kahn, Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore and studied acting at SMU and UT Austin, but while performing was her love, writing became her bread-and-butter.  Her dad was the group leader and arranger on countless classic commercial jingles, and in between stage roles, she followed him into that business, creating jingles and comedy radio spots for famed commercial music factory TM Productions and  winning ITVA Golden Reel Award for her video training programs.  

She and husband Pat Reeder co-created The Comedy Wire, a daily internationally-syndicated topical humor service for radio DJs, making her one of the most-quoted, least-credited funny women on Earth .  She has also written and recorded many parody songs for morning shows, such as her take on Julie Andrews' "My Favorite Things" ("Try to play chess and we'll cut off your hand/These are the things that the Taliban banned...") and "Santa Baby (Help Me Through Recession Tonight)."  

Laura and Pat co-authored Nine Hallmarks Of Highly Incompetent Losers, a book inspired by all the stories of incredible idiocy they’ve mocked, with a foreword by their #1 fan, Gov. Mike Huckabee.  They live with 15 rescued parrots, which Laura writes about in her column for Companion Parrot Quarterly.  She and Pat have restored several historic homes, including their current residence, a 1955 Midcentury Modern house that in a twist of fate, was Laura's childhood home.  She has been a guest on countless radio shows from Arizona to Ireland, and notable TV appearances include Fox 4’s “Good Day,” the "Jack E. Jett Show" on the Q TV network, and her own special on Comcast Cable.  Her satirical musical show, "Keep Young & Beautiful" has garnered rave reviews and played many venues, public and private, including the Dallas and Las Vegas Comedy Festivals and the Out-Of-The-Loop Theater Festival.  Her Cole Porter revue with singer/pianist Michael Gott has also received raves from critics and played to sold-out theaters and enthusiastic audiences, from Bass Hall's elegant McDavid Studio to two Christmas galas  at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion.

Laura has just finished recording her first album, "Keep It To Yourself," produced and arranged by Brian Piper.  It's set for release in late summer of 2010 and features some of the greatest jazz musicians in Texas, in a surprising genre and era-skipping collection of songs from the 1920s to today.   The hilariously seductive title tune is already being played on radio stations worldwide.  Click here to download it from CDBaby.com. 

Brian Piper is no late bloomer.  Although he focused on accounting, law and football in college, he quickly changed direction and has been a vital part of Dallas’ music scene for...well, a long time.  His resume requires a lot of slashes, as in "Composer/Arranger/Conductor/Performer/Recording Artist.”

A frequent presence in the Dallas Summer Musicals orchestra pit, he has accompanied the national touring companies of such hit Broadway shows as "Wicked" and "The Producers."  He has backed legendary stars ranging from Cab Calloway to Mabel Mercer to Jerry Jeff Walker (you can hear him on a number of JJW albums as a member of the Gonzo Compadres Band) and can be seen tickling the ivories with the ‘Nawlins Gumbo Kings.  His modern jazz group, the Brian Piper Trio, was chosen as one of the spotlight new artists for the 2008 Newport Beach Jazz Party.  They have recently released two fantastic CDs, "Piperville" and "TerrrRIFFic," on 90th Floor Records.  As owner of Brian Piper Music, he’s created numerous radio IDs and spots for such clients as NBC Sports.

An avid pilot and self-described “ski bum,” Brian shares his life with wife Carlene and daughters Haley and Caroline.

Return to home page