Biography
A large part of Lesley’s appeal resides in her on-stage charm and humour. She enchanted sold-out audiences at the Sage Gateshead and the Warwick Arts Centre when she played there in November 2009 in support of firstly, young acoustic talent John Smith and then the platinum-selling jazz chanteuse Madeleine Peyroux. All available CDs were sold-out as listeners demanded more of the sweetly narcotic effect of Lesley’s crystalline vocals.
After winning “Demo of the Month” in NARC magazine in November 2009, a successful A&R showcase in Notting Hill early in 2010 led to further interest in Lesley’s music. This resulted in a tour of Britain and Ireland in the spring of 2010 supporting Don “American Pie” McLean. En route Lesley acquired a new army of followers with a series of mature performances in some of the UK’s grandest venues, including the world-famous Royal Albert Hall. The Newcastle Journal compared her performance at the Sage Gateshead favourably with that of the American great, remarking upon Lesley’s “extraordinarily pure and crystal clear voice”. The Bournemouth Echo described Lesley as both “excellent and amusing”.
After regular sell-outs of her first E.P, her eagerly anticipated first album, “Way We Are” was released in October 2010, with a live recording following in July of this year. This live concert recording featured a 7-piece band performing a set that showcases both Lesley's excellent arranging skills and also her easy rapport with an audience.
Lesley has just returned from a five week tour of Nashville, Tennessee, a trip funded entirely by donations from her devoted fans. As well as performing her songs at some of the most prestigious singer-songwriter nights in the U.S, Lesley recorded a 4- track E.P with top local session musicians. The results will be available to buy and download on iTunes within the following months and demonstrate a country-tinged edge to Lesley's ever-melodic compositions. Lesley will be touring this album in February 2012 and showing the fruits of her American odyssey.