Maggie Laird grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1980. Her initial professional life was in the theatre, acting in companies in Chicago, North Carolina, and Seattle. Having played piano since age 4, she was always driven to perform in a band.  Her first group was Blackwood/Laird,  whose infectious pop songs hit the '80's Seattle scene and were played constantly on KJET Radio. Laird blends her musical and theatrical skills in original performance works (Please Pardon My Mush, Cleo’s Café, One Day I Woke Up, Life After Paradise, All Work All Play) which have been produced at Seattle Fringe Theater Festivals, On the Boards, the Bathhouse Theatre, ArtsEdge, Vashon Allied Arts New Works series and other Seattle venues. Her lifelong love of the American songbook finds an outlet with Island Jazz Quintet, and the Portage Fill-Harmonic Big Band. Laird appears regularly in the Pacific Northwest as a solo pianist, and in a trio format singing her award-winning originals, jazz standards, and an array of songs from Duke Ellington to Bob Dylan. She performed at the Full House Cabaret Series in Philadelphia for the past two years and in June 2010 debuted her set of Kurt Weill music, “We Must Have Whiskey Oh You Know Why.” Maggie has taught piano and voice in her home studio on Vashon Island since 1995. She also serves as Music Director for theatrical productions and teaches audition workshops.