Originally from Westchester County, NY, Laura Doherty came to Chicago after college and soon joined the teaching staff of the legendary Old Town School of Folk Music. For over a decade, Laura was the Director of the Old Town School’s wildly popular early-childhood Wiggleworms program. In 2009 she took a daring leap and decided to go full-time with kids’ music, showing an intense passion for creating sweet, folk-inspired songs for children and families.  

With an ear for a catchy melody, Doherty recorded her first album, Kids in the City, in 2009, winning the coveted Gold Parents’ Choice Award. Since then, she has recorded the equally endearing and award-winning Shining Like a Star (2011), In a Heartbeat (2014), and Animal Tracks (2016). Doherty's newest album, High Five (2018), received the Gold Parents' Choice award and lots of radio play across the country.

Often joined by her band of Chicago talent on stage, The Heartbeats, Doherty has performed hundreds of shows at premier venues and festivals across the country, including Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, Lollapalooza, Nashville's Pilgrimage Fest, Austin’s SXSW, Philly’s World Cafe Live, Boston’s Club Passim and many more! This summer, she and the Heartbeats once again return to Ravinia, offering a playful concert the whole family will enjoy!

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