Bill Leslie - Storyteller (2019)

Warm Americana album of new and original story songs that evoke deep emotions and engage the senses with gifts of surprise, delight and laughter.

When I was a kid learning to sing, play guitar and write my first songs I would retreat to the stairway of my home in western North Carolina. There was a sweet, natural and forgiving echo to the place. It was here I gained confidence to perform. That special spot inspired the first song on this album - Echoes of My Heart.

Storyteller seems like the natural title for the album. For decades I was a storyteller in broadcast news. Now, I’m telling most of my stories as a singer-songwriter. The fundamentals are the same. Great stories evoke deep emotions. They engage our senses. They uncover gifts of surprise, delight and laughter.

These 14 original songs are stories of my life. They are love songs, lullabies and lessons from history and heroes.

Co-producer John Plymale and I stand in awe of the top-notch musicians who worked so hard on this album. They helped craft a truly unique and remarkable sound.

My favorite story behind the making of this album is John Claude Gummoe who wrote the huge hit record “Rhythm of the Rain” by The Cascades in the 1960s. John was a childhood hero who became a pen pal and friend. As I was finishing my new album, John called and volunteered to sing lead on “Caramel Kiss.” I am thrilled to be his back-up singer on track four!

Special thanks to my wife Cindy for her loving support, feedback and patience, and to my entire family for inspiring many of the songs on this album.