Libby McLaren was born in Berkeley, California, a 4th generation Californian. She joined her first band “Night Flyte” at age 19. This band was wildly popular in the San Francisco Bay area in the early ’70’s, gaining notoriety as a cutting edge Latin-Jazz-Fusion band, featuring Libby and Illana Morillo singing, Steve Gaboury on keyboards, Lincoln Goines on bass, Kim Plainfield on drums and Roger Squitero on percussion. This band moved to New York City in the fall of 1977, and immediately became a popular local band in the city. They were signed soon thereafter to GRP Records.

Following many successful years of touring with Night Flyte, including a featured performance for the Cal Jazz Festival at the renowned Greek Theater in Berkeley, as well as touring and performing up and down the East Coast, Libby branched out to join other bands and explore different styles of music.

Throughout her life, Libby always sang with innovative choral groups. She continued this tradition when she joined a 16 voice mixed chorus, “The Euterpean Choral Ensemble” in New York. She sang and performed with this group for 4 years.

While living in New York, two of the most accomplished bands that Libby performed and recorded with were “The Longhouse” lead by vocalist and singer extraordinaire Lisa Herman. This band was known for its’ vocal tour de force featuring 6 of New York City’s finest singers: Libby, Margaret Dorn, Millie Whiteside, Lisa Lowell, Kevin DiSimone and Marcia Pelletiere. The band recorded an outstanding and classic rock album with Warner Bros. in 1984. Additionally Libby performed and toured with The Joy Askew Band, singing alongside Deborah Berg, of Eye To Eye fame.

In 1983 Libby collaborated with Cha Cha DaVinci and Matt Noble to record a major disco (yes, disco) hit, “For The Same Man”. The band was called,“The B Beat Girls” with an opening act none other than a little known up and coming singer, “Madonna”. The song reached #2 on the acclaimed Billboard charts during the summer of 1983 and continues to be extraordinarily popular throughout Europe in their thriving disco and dance scene.

In the fall of 1983, Libby joined the acclaimed sister act “The Roches”. Playing keyboards and singing a 4th harmony, she toured and recorded with them for 5 years. With The Roches, she appeared on The Tonight Show, The Dick Cavett Show, The Late Show with Joan Rivers, as well asa myriad of radio shows across the US and Canada.

1986 found Libby moving back home to California where she met Robin Flower, her musical collaborator and life partner. They began a life long musical journey together that continues successfully and joyfully to this day. To access information about “Robin Flower & Libby McLaren”, please visit their website.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s, Libby toured with Ronnie Gilbert, from the renowned “Weavers” folk group of the 40’s and 50’s. She played piano and sang harmonies with Ronnie’s beautiful voice. They performed as a duo for
many years, crisscrossing the US and Canada, singing and playing for audiences who were thrilled to be hearing the songs and stories of Ronnie Gilbert, their “Folk Hero”.

Libby has recorded back up vocals on 2 of Holly Near’s recordings: “Edge” and “Show Up”. Following years of choral singing, Libby decided to begin and direct her own chorus. In 1997, she began “The Linwood Project Community Chorus”.

In 2008, Libby began a second chorus, “Libby McLaren's Voices Eclectica", an audition only group of women singers from around the East Bay.

Libby teaches privately Oakland, California. She has 50 students a week, who study singing, piano, accordion, whistling, as well as the tin whistle