LESLIE CRAIG

Leslie Craig was born to sing. 

"I pretty much feel music down to my bones" says the woman who's been singing professionally since she was barely out of her teens. She grew up with a mom who was a singer, a dad who loved big band music, and a big record collection to play with. 

Having started out wanting to be an actress, playing several lead roles in plays and musicals in high school, she attended college as a theatre major but dropped out after two years. That summer, she happened to sit in with her then-boyfriend's band, in need of a new lead vocalist, and the rest--as they say--became history.

Leslie sang professionally in the St. Louis area, fronting several bands (most notably co-founding Trixie Delight in 2001), singing in duos and doing session work before relocating to Nashville in 2005.

Music City was a singular experience that definitely left its mark, in a good way. Leslie did LOTS of session work, sang with several corporate/party event bands, and sang at the famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge downtown for six years, singing on the 2nd floor stage, becoming the first female singer to front a late-night shift on Broadway. This led to her being one of four regular artists (and the only female) included in the Tootsie's 50th Anniversary Celebration Show at the amazing Ryman Auditorium in 2010. She performed that night along with Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Lorrie Morgan, Mel Tillis, and the legendary Kris Kristofferson, among others. 

While in Nashville, Leslie got to make another dream come true when she recorded her first full-length album, "Wild Card", which includes 12 tracks, seven of them being written or co-written by Leslie. Produced by Billy Smiley of White Heart, it's one of Leslie's proudest achievements.

Back in St. Louis since 2013, she has continued to sing, briefly fronting her own band Leslie Craig & the Hellbenders, and doing duo shows with various local players. She also starred for four consecutive years as Amy in "Lioness: The Amy Winehouse Tribute", as well as performing several shows with Jim Manley's Wild Cool & Swingin' tribute to Las Vegas in the 60's. Her favorite shows are when she gets to sing her own songs and some unique acoustic deep cuts. 

She is often asked what her favorite kind of music is, and other than her own music,  she simply cannot answer that question. "I love all of it, " she says, and she can sing so many styles, it's understandable that she can't choose a favorite. Whether it's pop, jazz, R&B, country, rock, showtunes, or even a little rap, she loves singing everything. So she keeps doing it, because as she says,

"I can't NOT sing. It's in my bones."