• Some voices need to be heard, front and center, and O'Connor's is one of them.

    — Des Moines Cityview

  • When faced with the task of describing somebody whose artistry is so subtle as to be virtually invisible, the temptation is to throw up one's hands and plead to the mercy of the court. As simply as we know how to say it, Nora O'Connor is damn good. Can't you take our word for it?

    — Riverfront Times

  • Nora has a rich, soulful voice that evokes Patsy Cline's sweet dreams and Emmylou Haris and Gram Parson in their Fallen Angels days and showcases her natural beauty and charm.

    — New York Press
Hometown: 
Chicago, IL

Nora O’Connor is a Chicago-based musician whose vocal talents are the secret weapon behind some of the city’s best performances and recordings. For much of 2013, O'Connor toured internationally as a singer in Iron and Wine, and she continues to record and perform with longtime collaborator, Andrew Bird. Nora also plays bass and sings back-up for Kelly Hogan (she recorded and toured with Hogan for her release I Like To Keep Myself In Pain on ANTI- Records) and in 2010, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy enlisted her and Hogan as primary vocalists on gospel legend Mavis Staples’ Grammy Award-winning album You Are Not Alone. She has been most recently been touring with The Decemberists, singing harmonies and playing a bunch of their really nice guitars

In the studio and on the stage, Nora has backed (among others) Neko Case, Jakob Dylan, The New Pornographers, Archer Prewitt, Chris Mills, The Aluminum Group, Otis Clay, Justin Roberts and Robbie Fulks. Though she may be primarily known for her signature honey-sweet vocals, Nora is also revered among her musician peers for her chops and versatility. She's a solid sender on guitar and bass, an enthusiastic and inspired collaborator, and always ninja-nimble and professional to a T -- just a few of the reasons why this lady's phone never stops ringing.

Along with Kelly Hogan, she's part of the vocal one-two punch for the soul/pop/AM radio geek out band The Flat Five--look for an album sometime soon!

Nora first came to our attention as guitarist/vocalist for the late, great glam-country outfit The Blacks. All these talents must know something about the dulcet tones of Ms. O'Connor, and you should too.

Artist Website
Compilation Tracks: 
Recommended if You Like: 
Tift Merritt
Pattie Griffin
Kelly Willis
Neko Case
Mazzy Star
Amanda Shires
Shovels & Rope
Caitlin Rose

Similar Bloodshot Artists

  • Neko Case

    Neko Case has The Voice, rough around the edges but possessing a formidable strength and range, that causes critics and fans to swoon. To go with that Voice, is an artistry with a trajectory that is fascinating to watch unfold and grow. Where it will take her, and us, is the thrilling part.

  • Sally Timms

    In 1985 she joined the Mekons and has regretted it ever since. Despite her fondness for off-color commentary on virtually every aspect of popular culture, she possesses a truly magnificent voice.
  • Maggie Bjorklund

    Maggie Bjorklund

    Steeped in Nashville form and tradition, Maggie brings her outsider perspective to the pedal steel and its possibilities. She stretches it far beyond the constraints of "country," bringing in elements of ethereal pop, psychedelia, European folk, and spaghetti western.
  • Lydia Loveless Bloodshot records

    Lydia Loveless

    Blessed with a commanding, blast-it-to-the-back-of-the-room voice, Lydia Loveless was raised on a family farm in Coshocton, Ohio—a small weird town with nothing to do but make music.

  • Old Town School Recordings

    A Chicago mainstay, the Old Town School of Folk Music has been around since 1957, offering classes and live performances from some of the world's most respected musicians.

  • The Blacks

    In 10 or 20 years, your kids or your curious nephews will ask "Hey, why weren't the Blacks famous back then? What was wrong with you people that you made the Strokes and Vampire Weekend famous? This band kicks all their asses."

  • The Pine Valley Cosmonauts

    Recruited for inter-planetary fame by Captain Jon Langford, PVC are a loosely organized musical collective that sprouts periodically, like a rare orchid out of the desert sand, to deliver unto the world records of vision, of tribute, of unfettered revelry. And guest stars, lots of guest stars.
  • Robbie Fulks Bloodshot Records

    Robbie Fulks

    Twenty years ago, Robbie’s exuberance for old-school country made a lot of noise. Today, his storytelling through folk and bluegrass music on Upland Stories delivers the quieter, sometimes unsettling truths of humanity.
  • Luke Winslow-King Bloodshot Records

    Luke Winslow-King

    Straight outta Orleans Parish, LWK is both rustic and elegant. He delivers energetic and dynamic performances with his burgundy voice and versatile guitar playing. He may be technically proficient, but he's never precious. Use code BLUEMESA at checkout for 15% off all LWK CDs and LPs.

  • Jim and Jennie & the Pinetops

    Weaving together Southern rock and folk idioms, the Pinetops ease into space that is an irresistible match between the Harry Smith creak of our American musical backwaters and the psychedelic vibe of the Fairport Convention and Buffalo Springfield.

  • Kelly Hogan

    "Kelly Hogan is a national treasure"-- Andrew Bird