Lesley Sawyer
Lubbock, Texas, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"Even a song she didn't write sounds like she wrote it when she sings it." Alan Crossland, Music Producer - Lubbock Avalanche Journal
"There is not a throwaway here, and, instead of showing off her own contributions, she relies on cover songs that carry heavy meaning on their backs." William Kerns - Lubbock Avalanche Journal
"A lot of the times, to me, if the song doesn't have any meaning, any weight, then it is a waste of my time." Lesley Sawyer - Virtualubbock.com
Music producer Don Caldwell, not involved with her album, said, "Lesley is a true stylist with a unique and identifiable sound." - Lubbock Avalanche Journal
"He said that the Blue Hearts, Lovers Lonely concert was the brainchild of Sawyer. She’s the only single one in our group, noted Wilkinson. She was the one who said Valentines Weekend could be kind of a downer with nothing for single people to do, so we came up with this idea. There will be some songs about divorce and about being lonely, but I promise it won’t be down and depressing. There will be a lot of humor involved."
- Lubbock Avalanche Journal
" The sun has been down for at least an hour and Lesley Sawyer has been ensconced in the soundproofed recording booth for a half-hour longer than that, adding backing vocals for Kenny Maines' first solo album.
As she tries out different ways to piggyback her higher harmonies onto Maines' baritone, the man himself sits on a low-slung sofa on the other side of the glass partition, a few feet away from the recording engineer.
He doesn't say much this Wednesday evening, nodding along and occasionally breaking into a grin when he hears something he likes.
Sawyer, however, isn't satisfied with her vocals and lets everyone in the studio know it as she takes off her headphones. She then reconsiders, laughs and repeats a phrase that has become popular at the studio throughout the past few weeks.
"It's all about Kenny, anyway."
- Lubbock Avalanche Journal
Wilkinson pens song for PBS show. The song, produced by Kenny Maines, also features vocalist Lesley Sawyer and musicians Alan Shinn and Donnie Maines.
- Lubbock Avalanche Journal
Discography
Dirt
Lesley Sawyer
© Copyright-BMI
(837101190480)
Record Label: Lesley Sawyer
01. Wilderness of This World - written by Terry Allen
02. Four in the Morning - written by Cary Swinney
03. Boy from the Country - written by Michael Martin Murphy
04. Something in the Rain - written by Tish Hinijosa
05. That Kind of Girl - written by Terry Allen
06. Verna Rose - written by Lesley Sawyer
07. Fat Girl in the Ice Cream Store - written by Cary Swinney
08. At Last - written by Amanda Shires/Lesley Sawyer
09. Poor Man's House - written by Patty Griffin
10. The Doll - written by Terry Allen/Lloyd Maines
11. Brand New Key - written by Melanie
Photos
Bio
Born in Texas during a blizzard, Lesley Sawyer spent the first twelve years of her life in New Mexico before moving with her family to Oregon. Lesley later returned to Texas joining various ensembles while in college that rekindled her love for music. Lesley appreciates a wide range of musical genres, and believes, “… it's unfair that we should have to settle for one 'label' or a label at all.”
Lesley appreciates artists that tell a story, and “who pay careful attention to the words they are sharing with their listeners. “ She feels that the right words, accompanied by music, “[can] change the atmosphere around you. Temperatures rise, heart rates increase, and then fall with the words and the rhythm, and within minutes, you have taken a trip - traveled through the writer’s mind and yours.”
When describing Lesley’s talent, Alan Crossland, music producer replies, “Even a song she didn't write sounds like she wrote it when she sings it." Mixing shyness, and spirituality, with “lovely vocals, heavy songs,” Lesley possesses a powerful voice, presence and point of view.
Lesley has performed with a virtual “who’s who” of talented Texas artists and musicians including Kenny Maines, Donnie Allison, Brian McRae, Cary Swinney, Doug Smith, Andy Wilkinson, and many others. She is a regularly featured artist at Lubbock’s Cactus Theater.
Lesley’s debut album, Dirt, was produced by Alan Crossland, and released in 2006. Dirt features musicians Brian McRae, Kenny Maines, Amanda Shires, Colt Miller, Cary Swinney, Doug Smith, Alan Munde, Andy Wilkinson, Alan Crossland, and Fletcher Murchison. The song “Verna Rose” was written by Lesley, in addition to “At Last,” written by Amanda Shires and Lesley Sawyer.
Links
