At an early age Lauren (McCray) Sperry picked up her first saxophone and played Mary Had a Little Lamb at least 100 times before her parents begged her to stop. That was the start of her life’s biggest obsession. In her early performing years Lauren was a part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee youth jazz and classical programs, U-JAY and U-WAY. During this time Lauren began taking lessons from Milwaukee saxophonist Berkeley Fudge and woodwind specialist Curt Hanrahan.
Lauren continued her studies at Berklee College of Music under the direction of Jeff Harrington and percussionist Joe Galeota. In 2006 she finished her studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Multiple Woodwind Performance. Throughout her college career she studied saxophone with Curt Hanrahan, jazz with Steve Nelson-Raney, flute with Jeani Foster and Caen Thomason-Redus, clarinet with William Helmers and Kyle Knox and piano with Katja Phillabaum. Lauren later went on to study oboe with Bonnie Cohen.
Lauren began performing in Milwaukee with her self-titled jazz trio. She then branched off into many other styles with multiple groups and musicians including: Violent Femmes, Sheila E., Veneno, Jeff Morales, Jose Papo Rivera, St. Louis Jesuits, Booze Brothers Show Band & Revue, The Four Aces, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, The All Star SuperBand, SideCar Steph and the 7-10 Split, Vinnie Falcon, Ron DeVillers Bands, Jeannie Holiday, Torn Soul and many others. Lauren has also had the opportunity to perform with many theatre companies including the Solstice Theatre Company, A Mile in My Shoes Productions, Bradford Theatre, Carte Blanche Studios, Shorewood Players, Hartford Players, University of Wisconsin-Washington County and UWM’s Opera Orchestra. Currently, Lauren is performing with Orquesta Unidos En Cristo, Swing Nouveau, The Bill Sargent Band, Lou’s Jazz Express, Kelli and the Soul Mates and Groove Therapy.