Christie Leigh

FRANKLIN- After singing most her life and performing in Boston clubs and the streets of Los Angeles, Christie Leigh hopes her new album will launch her into the big time.
Surrounded by fans, the award-winning Franklin native released her sixth and most accomplished album, "Deep Down Damned,’’ Friday in the VIP Room at The Estate in Boston.
Leigh wrote all 11 songs on her newest album, which she described as "catchy, uplifting and inspiring.’’
"I’m so excited,’’ said the country singer with the big voice. "This is a really feel good album. I put my heart into it.’’
The last couple of years have also been pretty successful for the willowy blonde who’s been singing professionally since 1998.
In 2007 Leigh’s song, "When You Need a Moment,’’ made her a national name when it was chosen from 55,000 entries as a Top 20 finalist in the American Idol Songwriter Competition. In 2010 she was chosen as a Top 20 Finalist for the Lilith Fair Competition.
Leigh described her newest album as "a huge step’’ and her first with a "really full length professional production’’ by a team of "real pros in Nashville.’’ It was produced by Yan Perchuk, Derek Wells and Nick Buda who have worked with Taylor Swift, Josh Turn and others.
Walter Cartwright, general manager of The Estate, described Leigh as "a commanding personality with a unique voice" who "really gets into her songs.’’
"Christie is pop and country with a genuine voice that doesn’t come off as mainstream or synthesized. She’s got a really loyal base of fans. Hopefully this album will attract a wider audience,’’ he said.
Leigh grew up in Franklin listening through the door when her father, Joe Bellany, a keyboardist and accordion player, practiced with his band.
"My dad was my biggest influence growing up because he was always playing Tom Petty and John Fogarty songs,’’ she recalled. "When kids my age were listening to Salt-n-Pepa, I was into Creedance (Clearwater Revival).’’
Throughout school in Franklin, Leigh sang in the chorus – "as nerdy as people think it was’’ – and took a few guitar lessons but mostly learned by playing open mic nights.
She learned to write her own songs by penning funny tunes for her younger sister, Candice, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.
Leigh recalled one of "our great thrills was when Candice and I got to meet (folksinger) Jewel backstage’’ after a Boston concert.

A marketing major at Emerson College, she also started her own company, CNC Music Productions, which books bands for area venues.
Following her album’s release, Leigh will be performing locally and is exploring the possibility playing in Australia during a coming vacation.
"I want to play as many shows as I can and get my music out there, hopefully in some television shows or movies,’’ she said. "This is going be a big year for me.’’
- Metrowest Daily News- January, 2013

FRANKLIN- After singing most her life and performing in Boston clubs and the streets of Los Angeles, Christie Leigh hopes her new album will launch her into the big time.
Surrounded by fans, the award-winning Franklin native released her sixth and most accomplished album, "Deep Down Damned,’’ Friday in the VIP Room at The Estate in Boston.
Leigh wrote all 11 songs on her newest album, which she described as "catchy, uplifting and inspiring.’’
"I’m so excited,’’ said the country singer with the big voice. "This is a really feel good album. I put my heart into it.’’
The last couple of years have also been pretty successful for the willowy blonde who’s been singing professionally since 1998.
In 2007 Leigh’s song, "When You Need a Moment,’’ made her a national name when it was chosen from 55,000 entries as a Top 20 finalist in the American Idol Songwriter Competition. In 2010 she was chosen as a Top 20 Finalist for the Lilith Fair Competition.
Leigh described her newest album as "a huge step’’ and her first with a "really full length professional production’’ by a team of "real pros in Nashville.’’ It was produced by Yan Perchuk, Derek Wells and Nick Buda who have worked with Taylor Swift, Josh Turn and others.
Walter Cartwright, general manager of The Estate, described Leigh as "a commanding personality with a unique voice" who "really gets into her songs.’’
"Christie is pop and country with a genuine voice that doesn’t come off as mainstream or synthesized. She’s got a really loyal base of fans. Hopefully this album will attract a wider audience,’’ he said.
Leigh grew up in Franklin listening through the door when her father, Joe Bellany, a keyboardist and accordion player, practiced with his band.
"My dad was my biggest influence growing up because he was always playing Tom Petty and John Fogarty songs,’’ she recalled. "When kids my age were listening to Salt-n-Pepa, I was into Creedance (Clearwater Revival).’’
Throughout school in Franklin, Leigh sang in the chorus – "as nerdy as people think it was’’ – and took a few guitar lessons but mostly learned by playing open mic nights.
She learned to write her own songs by penning funny tunes for her younger sister, Candice, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.
Leigh recalled one of "our great thrills was when Candice and I got to meet (folksinger) Jewel backstage’’ after a Boston concert.

A marketing major at Emerson College, she also started her own company, CNC Music Productions, which books bands for area venues.
Following her album’s release, Leigh will be performing locally and is exploring the possibility playing in Australia during a coming vacation.
"I want to play as many shows as I can and get my music out there, hopefully in some television shows or movies,’’ she said. "This is going be a big year for me.’’
- Metrowest Daily News- January, 2013

NORWOOD -- When former Norwood resident Christie Leigh was laid off from her marketing job at Frito-Lay, she let the chips fall where they may and started a music career.

Leigh had always been a star vocalist, playing the leading roles in several theater productions. But after losing her job, Leigh decided to seize the opportunity and she picked up a guitar.

In 1999 at age 21, a terrified Leigh took her guitar to Perk’s Coffeehouse on Washington Street for her first public performance with the instrument.

"It was open mic night, and I literally only knew how to play one really easy Jewel song," Leigh said yesterday. "I guess I’ve come a long way."

Tomorrow, Leigh will be back at Perk’s, but this time with the confidence and assuredness of knowing she is an established singer/songwriter with a debut album under her belt as well as tours of the New England, the southern United States and California.

She released her debut album "Strange Little Story" last year and expects to release her second, tentatively titled "When You Need a Moment," later this year. Leigh describes her music as pop rock with a tinge of blues thrown in, along the lines of a Sheryl Crow.

"Once I picked up the guitar, I started writing songs -- it came naturally to me," Leigh said from Brighton-based CNC Music Productions, which she runs with her husband. Music has always come naturally for Leigh, who grew up listening to her dad’s Westwood-based band, The Golden Relics.

By age 6, Leigh was performing on stage, doing solos in her choral groups as well as theater productions. She joined a band at age 19, but never picked up a guitar until 21 when she launched her career in earnest.

Leigh calls her songwriting process organic, saying she has created songs about everything from her disabled sister to traffic. The key for her, she said, is being in the right mind-set.

"When you’re really happy and things are going smoothly, it’s hard to write songs -- you get writer’s block," said Leigh.

Tomorrow’s show, free and open to the public, will also be recorded for a live disc Leigh is hoping to release soon.

"Last time I played there, it was a really great show and somebody said to me, ’You should have recorded that live,’" said Leigh.
She said after playing larger clubs, including Boston’s Harper’s Ferry and the Middle East, Leigh is looking forward to playing a more intimate venue.

"I feel really comfortable there," said Leigh. Tomorrow’s show starts at 8 p.m. with John Gerard opening.

Leigh will go on at roughly 9 p.m. Perk’s is located at 685 Washington St.
- The Daily News Transcript Wed, July 7, 2006

Christie Leigh will perform at Perk’s Coffeehouse, 685 Washington St. in Norwood- the first place she ever performed in public several years ago- on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 8pm.

Leigh, who is originally from the Norwood area, is not a touring songwriter based out of Boston. She released her debut album, “Strange Little Story” last year. A mix of pop rock and bluesy harmonies, Leigh’s music has been compared to the sounds of Susan Tedeschi, Jewel and Joss Stone. She was influenced early in life by the sounds of classic ‘70s rock played by her father’s Westwood-based band, The Golden Relics.

Currently in the studio recording her second album, Leigh is focusing on intimate venues where she can work out new material. Last May, Leigh toured the eastern U.S. to support her new record, playing shows in New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Nashville, Mobile, Charlottesville, and New Orleans.

In March, Leigh will release her next album, tentatively titled “When You Need A Moment” and head out on a 10-day tour of southern California to support her new release.

There is no cover and the show is all ages. Call Perk’s at 781-762-5565. Visit www.christieleigh.com for more information about Christie Leigh.
- Daily News Transcript - January 30, 2006

NORWOOD -- When former Norwood resident Christie Leigh was laid off from her marketing job at Frito-Lay, she let the chips fall where they may and started a music career.

Leigh had always been a star vocalist, playing the leading roles in several theater productions. But after losing her job, Leigh decided to seize the opportunity and she picked up a guitar.

In 1999 at age 21, a terrified Leigh took her guitar to Perk’s Coffeehouse on Washington Street for her first public performance with the instrument.

"It was open mic night, and I literally only knew how to play one really easy Jewel song," Leigh said yesterday. "I guess I’ve come a long way."

Tomorrow, Leigh will be back at Perk’s, but this time with the confidence and assuredness of knowing she is an established singer/songwriter with a debut album under her belt as well as tours of the New England, the southern United States and California.

She released her debut album "Strange Little Story" last year and expects to release her second, tentatively titled "When You Need a Moment," later this year. Leigh describes her music as pop rock with a tinge of blues thrown in, along the lines of a Sheryl Crow.

"Once I picked up the guitar, I started writing songs -- it came naturally to me," Leigh said from Brighton-based CNC Music Productions, which she runs with her husband. Music has always come naturally for Leigh, who grew up listening to her dad’s Westwood-based band, The Golden Relics.

By age 6, Leigh was performing on stage, doing solos in her choral groups as well as theater productions. She joined a band at age 19, but never picked up a guitar until 21 when she launched her career in earnest.

Leigh calls her songwriting process organic, saying she has created songs about everything from her disabled sister to traffic. The key for her, she said, is being in the right mind-set.

"When you’re really happy and things are going smoothly, it’s hard to write songs -- you get writer’s block," said Leigh.

Tomorrow’s show, free and open to the public, will also be recorded for a live disc Leigh is hoping to release soon.

"Last time I played there, it was a really great show and somebody said to me, ’You should have recorded that live,’" said Leigh.
She said after playing larger clubs, including Boston’s Harper’s Ferry and the Middle East, Leigh is looking forward to playing a more intimate venue.

"I feel really comfortable there," said Leigh. Tomorrow’s show starts at 8 p.m. with John Gerard opening.

Leigh will go on at roughly 9 p.m. Perk’s is located at 685 Washington St.
- The Daily News Transcript Wed, July 7, 2006

Mansfield- Geno’s Restaurant will host a New Year’s Eve Party Saturday with entertainment by Boston-based singer and guitarist Christie Leigh.

Leigh, who attended school in Mansfield for a brief time, released her debut album “Strange Little Story” earlier this year- a mix of pop, rock, and bluesy harmonies. She has performed at Geno’s several times in the past year. “I love performing in Mansfield. Everybody is so friendly and supportive, and the environment is so intimate,” Leigh says. “The clubs we play in Boston and New York with are band are so big, you feel really far from the audience. New Year’s Eve will be a lot of fun.”

Geno’s has also booked Leigh for Friday night. She will perform an acoustic show with Nate Christy from 9:30pm to close. There is no cover.

Geno’s Restaurant is located at 409 North Main St. in Mansfield. Call 508-339-8771 for details. For more information log on to www.christieleigh.com.
- Sun Chronicle- Dec. 29, 2005

Demo Reviews
Christie Leigh
Strange Little Story

Strange Little Story is varied, lifting off with a nifty back and forth between catchy vocals (Christie) and the hypnotic hip hop stylings of Nate Christy. Play With me goes in one direction, but the track takes a completely different turn, pensively etching it’s restrained melody into your brain. The shuffling drumbs and creative, if rough, production sakes this song the stand out for me. She seems a little lacking in presence or electricity on this cd, but I would like to hear her live- it’s probably just the studio jitters. Earnest and appealingly fragile, yet ballsy (ala Juliana Hatfield). Hopefully she’ll put out another disc that’ll showcase her talents better.
Charlie Cummings
- Louder Magazine - August, 2003

Mansfield- Geno’s Restaurant will host a New Year’s Eve Party Saturday with entertainment by Boston-based singer and guitarist Christie Leigh.

Leigh, who attended school in Mansfield for a brief time, released her debut album “Strange Little Story” earlier this year- a mix of pop, rock, and bluesy harmonies. She has performed at Geno’s several times in the past year. “I love performing in Mansfield. Everybody is so friendly and supportive, and the environment is so intimate,” Leigh says. “The clubs we play in Boston and New York with are band are so big, you feel really far from the audience. New Year’s Eve will be a lot of fun.”

Geno’s has also booked Leigh for Friday night. She will perform an acoustic show with Nate Christy from 9:30pm to close. There is no cover.

Geno’s Restaurant is located at 409 North Main St. in Mansfield. Call 508-339-8771 for details. For more information log on to www.christieleigh.com.
- Sun Chronicle- Dec. 29, 2005

The “Got Milk” mobile tour stops at City Hall Plaza today to provide a few milk mustaches and educate folks about the benefits of cow juice. Apparently we still aren’t getting enough calcium. There are free samples and lots of nutrition information (what? No cookies?) Music is poured by acoustic performer Casey Desmond (noon), followed by Christie Leigh (left) & the Crooked Hearts (1pm). The free event is rain or shine. City Hall Plaza, Government Center. www.whymilk.com/index.about.us.htm
- The Boston Globe- Tues. July 18, 2006

The “Got Milk” mobile tour stops at City Hall Plaza today to provide a few milk mustaches and educate folks about the benefits of cow juice. Apparently we still aren’t getting enough calcium. There are free samples and lots of nutrition information (what? No cookies?) Music is poured by acoustic performer Casey Desmond (noon), followed by Christie Leigh (left) & the Crooked Hearts (1pm). The free event is rain or shine. City Hall Plaza, Government Center. www.whymilk.com/index.about.us.htm
- The Boston Globe- Tues. July 18, 2006