[1][2][3][4] Lavern Eloise Laws was born in Houston, Texas, as the fourth of eight children of Miola Luverta Donahue and Hubert Laws, Sr.[5] Born into a family of musicians, her siblings include flutist Hubert, saxophonist Ronnie, and vocalist Debra.

She then began recording for Holland-Dozier-Holland's Music Merchant and later Invictus labels.

Eloise has been credited as one of the backing singers on her brother Ronnie's 1980 LP Every Generation.

After All in Time, for Capitol, followed two years later, Laws was featured on albums from such artists as Harvey Mason, Lee Oskar, Aquarian Dream, Ahmad Jamal as well as several releases by her siblings.

Meanwhile, she pursued a career on stage, starring in the Tony-nominated musical, It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, which she also co-wrote.