Leslie Craig

There’s a tattoo on Leslie Craig’s arm. It’s a flaming heart with the words “Music = Passion = Life” written on it.

“That pretty much sums it up for me,” says the singer/songwriter, who’s been singing since the age of 17. “ Everyone in my family is very artistic.... my sister has been an actress, my brother is a painter, my Mom has a beautiful voice, she sounds like Doris Day! In fact, everyone in my family can sing, including my Dad.”

Leslie’s family moved around a lot when she was a kid, spending most of the time on the East Coast. She grew up listening to her parents’ and siblings’ record collections, which accounts for her wide range of musical influences. A glimpse at her iPod reveals that she listens to everything from Ella Fitzgerald to U2, Steely Dan, Keith Urban, and everything in between.

Leslie recently relocated to Nashville from St Louis, where she spent several years singing in cover bands. She sings 6 nights a week, 5 hours a night singing in and around Nashville and is so excited to finally see her own material come to fruition. Her producer Billy Smiley was walking downtown, heard her voice coming out of the clubs little speakers outside, went in and met with her, not understanding why none of the labels in town had signed this talented artist. 3 Months later they were in the studio.

Although Leslie considers herself a singer first and a songwriter second, she loves to write and describes her music as a hybrid of country with a lot of rock and soul mixed in. “Banjo is my absolute favorite, but I also like to hear a pedal steel where you wouldn’t expect it to be.”

Leslie’s voice has the soul of Aretha, the attitude of John Mellencamp, and the vulnerability of Bonnie Raitt...but she also has an element that can’t be described. When she’s on stage, it’s evident that this is what she was born to do. “Music is like breathing to me, it’s the only thing – other than my faith – that I know I could not live without.”
………With her talent, she’ll never have to.