Lori Singer is an American actress and musician born on November 6, 1957, in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is the daughter of conductor Jacques Singer and concert pianist Leslie Singer, and she grew up in Portland, Oregon, where her father served as the lead conductor of the Oregon Symphony.

Lori Singer was a musical prodigy, making her debut as a cellist with the Oregon Symphony at the age of thirteen and later becoming the youngest graduate of the Juilliard School. She signed with Elite Model Management in the early 1980s before transitioning to acting.

Lori Singer is best known for her role as Julie Miller, a teenage dancer and cellist, in the television series "Fame" from 1982 to 1983. She gained widespread recognition for her lead role as Ariel Moore in the musical drama film "Footloose" in 1984.

Her career continued with supporting roles in films such as "The Falcon and the Snowman" (1985), "Warlock" (1989), and Robert Altman's ensemble drama "Short Cuts" (1993), for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.

In addition to her acting career, Lori Singer is a talented cellist who has performed in prestigious venues like the Royal Albert Hall and Carnegie Hall. She has released music albums, including "Lori Singer: Luminous City."

She has also been involved in documentary filmmaking, contributing to and executive producing award-winning documentaries such as "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God" and "God Knows Where I Am."