Artists:Lea

LEA inherited her passion and propensity for music from her father who traveled the world, playing trumpet with the 70's soul band Black Heat, and her mother who taught her to sing from her soul by initiating her, at age 8 into the Jones Family Gospel Singers.

LEA spent years dedicated to her first love: theater. School productions as an adolescent led to a 2 year tenure with the repertory group, the Alliance Players. By the time the 13 year old discovered the acoustic guitar, she had already begun to develop a poised and sincere stage presence, which is as much part of what endears audiences to her live performance as her rich alto and genuine songwriting.

A major turning point came when LEA was given the option of recording her first CD or spending a year as an exchange student in Halle, Germany. The choice to go to Europe is one that continues to bear fruit. While there, she auditioned for the opportunity to sing at a music conservatory where her gift truly began to blossom. She performed her originals in cafes & clubs, sang with a classical chorus and a jazz ensemble and penned radio friendly tunes with the Brit pop band, Indigo Wild. LEA also took this singular chance to write, score, direct and act in an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s fairy tale, The Happy Prince.

Upon her return to the United States, LEA returned briefly to the domestic theater to play the leading role in Montgomery College Dinner Theater’s The Wiz. However, her mind was set on recording song from her now extensive original repertoire. read more.