Page 101 - July ONLINE VERSION

L Lauren Pritchard Cobb, or you might following the events of 9/11 in 2001. people have crazy lives. This past year, Lisa's only

son Ben passed away from suicide, he was a dear
know her best from her stage name,
LOLO, is an impressive human, singer, Even at a young age, music became an identifier friend of mine. He was the most wonderful human,
and unifier; nothing felt as a complete as music did.
dying just a week before my son was born. Their
O songwriter, and Broadway actress. I wanted to be a part of music in any way I could family has been through a lot going back before
Elvis passed.
be singing, playing an instrument, writing music,
ZGP: Where did LOLO come from?
LOLO: It is a longtime nickname; my best friend Alex from anything really. When I was 13-14, I began to really When I lived with them, I was in high school and I
understand artists; the bands I was listening to were
L and one day he didn’t feel like saying it. I tried going by my creating their own music and performing it. That was in a band, an agent, auditioning in L.A., song-
high school decided that my original name was too long
was their job. Once I realized all that, I just decided
writing, doing everything I could to launch my mu-
middle name (Pritch) but people called my dad and brother
I wasn't interested in anything else. I expressed this
sic career. My brother was in a terrible car accident
that in high school, so it got a little confusing. So, LOLO was
that required at least six months of intense physical
to my parents who were incredibly supportive, and
O more concise and specific. they were like how we do these things, this crazy therapy and care. So, we moved back to Jackson to
process, and I was very determined to figure it out.
care for him. I went around saying my goodbyes to
I was writing, practicing, and focused. I was sharing
every. Riley, my friend, and Lisa Marie’s daughter
my music with anyone who would listen. I spent my
agers, we thought everything was as simple as that.
time singing anywhere I could. I'd sing mostly cover said why don’t you just live with us. You know teen-
songs and some of my original material because I But a few days later, Lisa called my mom and said
Q
knew I would need to be comfortable sharing my she would love for me to come live with them and
personal stuff. continue building my music career.
ZGP: So, you are a singer, songwriter, and ac-
tress and most recently a wife and a mother. ZGP: Who are some of your musical in- Lisa Marie and Riley saw the hard work I was
How is that all working together? fluences? putting into my career and believed in me. They
LOLO: COVID made it an interesting year. I don't know LOLO: I am a big lyrics person. So probably my did not want to see that momentum diminished
that I've ever envisioned having to be so sectioned off from favorite all-time old-school singer/songwriter vibe When I got back to LA, I went on an audition and it
the world during this part of my personal journey, but in a of all time is Billy Joel. His has an ability to tell a completely changed my life. I don't have any doubt
way, it has been kind of nice too. We've had a lot of family story using words in songs that people don't use. I'd be in the music industry in some form. Without
time, us time. If COVID hadn't happened, it would have They aren't just another break-up song or love song. Lisa Marie’s kindness there would have been a delay
been more challenging because of work, traveling, and Joni Mitchell uses the internal rhyme, to fit really in pursuing my passions. Noteworthy too is that I
being pregnant. It was so nice having the little backstage at interesting words into songs. Eminem, I loved since wasn't living off their money. I was literally just pro-
the Christmas special with my husband; the little dude had I was small and would get into trouble listening to vided a roof over my head, and like any of her other
his headphones on. I had always daydreamed about those him on my Walk-Man. I was fascinated with his children, access to food and so forth. I worked
things, having my little one at shows, wondering how those
& ability, wordy, complex, but still so simple. You can really hard to get my career off the ground, and Lisa
moments would be like. Seeing them in the wings was so envision the picture he was painting. Aretha Frank- Marie provided me the same way my own parents
sweet and emotional, encouraging. lin, she is a brilliant songwriter and a brilliant piano would have to support my dreams.

player. More modern is MGMT, an alternative
ZGP: When did music start for you? rock band, but they use many metaphors and paint Interestingly, Riley and I were friends literally
LOLO: Music is this osmosis thing that lives and breathes pictures; their music doesn't sound the same, and before I ever knew who her family was. I found out
within everything. It’s a thing that can't be explained, it they remind me a lot of the same techniques used on a sleepover. On the piano were pictures of Lisa
exists, but even how it gets created is so strange. The late Ol- by Pink Floyd. Maren Morris and Billie Eilish are Marie and Riley and Ben or a young Lisa Marie
iver Sacks was at the forefront of a study called “Musicophil- both strong and inspirational females and writers, with Elvis. Growing up in West Tennessee, you had
ia”, which is understanding the scientific breakdown of what unafraid to put themselves out there. Honestly, I an idea of who Elvis was. Lisa Marie invited me,
music is, why, who, how, down to the minutiae. However, literally listen to everything. welcomed me into their world. We stayed up all
even someone like Sacks would be the first to tell you that night playing music around this piano. I would love
music can't be fully explained. Music gets created every day, ZGP: I read that you lived with Lisa Ma- to see more people kinder to her, especially in the
all the time, in a lot of different forms. Music becomes a rie Presley. What did her kindness mean light of her son's passing. She's been increasingly
placeholder of a movement or time. The rebirth of the song to you? giving to many people even before me.
"God Bless the USA," a song was somewhat patriotic in the LOLO: You know, it's interesting because I've had
By Tammy Yosich '80s, became a glaring patriotic representation and unifier many people ask me about that situation. Famous Contined Next Page

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