Nashville based singer/songwriter, Lori Triplett, has always been told she is an old soul.  Happily embracing this title, she has been trusting her own creative instincts, ignoring the outside voices telling her what to write, how to sound, and who to be as an artist, and embracing what makes her uniquely her own artist and songwriter.  Like other kindred old souls, she has had a clear grasp of what’s truly important in life from an early age and has been elegantly weaving that perspective into her songwriting and music since she first started writing around age 12.  Penning clever, thought-provoking lyrics over simple melodies and arrangements, Lori has been writing contemplative, relatable, honest, and emotionally moving songs long before she could really understand the power she held to impact others through simple song and lyric.  “My dad taught me to appreciate lyrics and really listen to the story being told in the song.  He also taught me to never shy away from a sad song.  Seeing a strong, grown man you love and admire singing his heart out to a sad Paul Williams love song like, Nice to Be Around or Dan Fogelberg’s, Same Old Lang Syne, as a child really has an impact on you.  It showed me how music can help others express their own emotions and feelings—even where you may least expect it.”  

A small-town Ohio native, Lori’s much anticipated third independently released full-length album, When the Morning Comes, released in March 2024.  Produced by ASCAP Award-winning and five- time Grammy nominated producer, engineer, guitarist, and songwriter, Paul Moak, the album was written and recorded over the course of a few years and takes listeners on a reflective listening journey through topics like self-discovery, finding the will and courage to keep moving forward in deep and dark waters, facing the immortality of loved ones, disillusionment and loss, standing up for yourself, and most importantly, that life is always worth fighting for and trying again when the morning comes.  With seasoned touring musicians and session players like pianist and keyboardist Charlie Lowell (Jars of Clay, Hollow Hum), drummer and percussionist Julian Dorio (The Whigs, Amanda Shires, The Lone Below), bassists Matthew Pierson and Kevin Whitsett (Russell Dickerson), and guitarist, Paul Moak (Ann Wilson, Madi Diaz, Trent Dabbs), the album is an eclectic mix of Americana, alt country, and singer/songwriter sounds and stylings that appeals to a wide variety of musical tastes.  Listeners may hear overtones of some of her musical influences over the years like Tori Amos, Patty Griffin, Nichole Nordeman, and Jim Croce to name a few.

The album’s first single, Hollow White Oak, and tells the story of a real-life 300 year old white oak tree nestled on a stunning historical 500 acre plantation outside of Nashville, TN.   “We all have places we go–either physically or mentally, to help us reflect and cope and this tree represents one of those places on this album.”

All I’m Letting Go Of, the album’s second single, begs for answers to questions about what happens after you let it go…hurt, heartache, love, grief, or your past.  With lyrics like, “I wanna know where it goes when you let it go.  Does it just take a lap and come right back around?” and “Does it ever really leave?  Did it move just up the street into someone else’s life?” listeners will find themselves contemplating the same questions about their own experiences.  A simple acoustic guitar, piano, & mellotron arrangement perfectly complements Lori’s pure vocal tone.

The Wishing Star and Sanctuary really speak into Lori’s experience with learning about her mom’s 2019 diagnosis with breast cancer and navigating the complex and dark feelings that come with that reality.  “I had two very distinct images in my mind when I wrote these songs - a wishing star and its relationship with those wishing upon it and a sanctuary nestled deep in a beautiful forest.  They both were like a personification of a lot of the emotions I wasn’t able to quite come to grips with about my mom and how she must be feeling.  The songs both served as a way to cope with all that was and is happening around me and my family,” Lori says of these tracks.

Night Rider talks about the human experience – thinking about your purpose, who you are, your immortality, & the fragility & brevity of life, comparing yourself to others & feelings of inadequacy, and then ultimately resolves to feeling comfortable in your own skin, finding your way,  and trying to live  your life to its fullest while you’re here.

Tracks like The Good in Us and Here for a Minute remind us try to see past our differences with other people, to do what you love because life is short, and to not take loved ones for granted:  “We’re only here for a minute, so say I love you,” Lori sings in Here for a Minute.

Mexico tells the story of lost love and the attempt of friends to help someone move on after a broken relationship:  “How far do I have to go before our memories fade like when I'm looking out the plane window down at the landscape?” 

Light from Another Room, the album’s third and final single, and Things You Said to Me are both anthems of sorts reminding us there is always hope and that “there are times when letting go hurts less than holding on.”  Both songs offer empathy to those going through rough patches but are ultimately invitations to start taking steps toward a new and brighter life after experiencing some of your darkest days.

“Although I knew the sound I wanted my new album to have, I really struggled to have a clear vision for what I wanted this album to be, what songs to include on the track list, and what I really wanted to say as an artist.  I’d love to claim otherwise, but looking back at my creative process for this, I think I just had so many heavy things going on in my personal life making it extra difficult to think clearly about anything, especially any creative endeavors like making an album.  I had been laid off of work for 8 months, my mom was diagnosed with a very advanced form of breast cancer, the pandemic hit, our family lost loved ones, and I just didn’t really know where music fit into all of that for me, if at all.  But it turns out, those events are what made the album what it is because most of the songs were written while I faced these things in real time.  And when thinking about what I wanted to call the album, I remembered a line from one of the tracks on the album called Things You Said to Me that says, ‘Well there are things worth fighting for when the morning comes,’ and I realized that I had been fighting for a long time to just keep my head above water and get through another day in the face of everything that’s been happening over the past few years in the world, for my family, and in my own life.  I realized that I’ve had to find my own inner strength to face my demons, keep going, keep trying, keep fighting, and keep moving forward when the morning comes and a new day presents itself to me.  It finally seemed clear to me what this album is really about for me personally.  I’m finally feeling strong enough to handle all the things life has thrown my way these past few years and I want others who may be feeling the same way to know that brighter days are ahead of them as well.”

When the Morning Comes is meant to be both an offering of empathy and hope to its listeners as well as a challenge to those who may be going through their own dark times of uncertainty and sadness to not give up.  But first and foremost, this album is for my mom.  Her strength and selflessness are inspiring to me and everyone around her.  It’s a love letter of sorts to her–we don’t always talk about what she’s going through because I think she doesn’t really like to think about it or focus too much on it.  She just wants to enjoy her life.  These songs say things to her in ways I probably couldn’t say well in normal conversation.  They speak so much of my heart about my love for her.  She is interwoven in every fiber of this album–directly and indirectly.”  

Lori has performed alongside hit songwriters like Tony Arata, Joel Shewmake, Buddy Owens, Jason Duke, Chris Gelbuda, and Anthony Peebles and her music has even received praise and attention from worldwide celebrity and Academy award winning actress Diane Keaton on social media.  Her additional accomplishments includes writing, co-producing and releasing two full-length albums  - her debut album, Dawn, (2004) co-produced with Jon Gillespie & her sophomore album, Safe Place to Land (2009), co-produced with Lee J. Turner, long-time band mate of country artist Darius Rucker.  More recently, she wrote and released 2 singles, Crooked Heart (2017),  Tennessee (2018) co-produced with Foster Ferrell, and her latest EPs,  Slow Poison (2020) and her first Christmas EP, Coming Home Alone (2020), were both produced by Chad Carouthers.