“I was sitting on my dad’s shoulders, and watching the concert,” she recalls. “I just remember watching her perform, and thinking that I really wanted to do that. Seeing her do that made me believe I could do that, as well. I’ve always been very musically inclined, and was drawn to music even at that age, so it inspired me to stick with it.” Stick with it, she has. Leigh has even had the chance to open a few shows this year for the Hall of Famer.
Leigh is set to release her first project for Southern Ground Artist, Inc. during the summer, titled 1978 December. She can’t wait to get it out to the public.
“I’m very proud of it. I think it’s well rounded, as far as my writing is concerned. I’m excited about it.”
Fans will notice right off the bat that Leigh’s sound is somewhat difficult to define. “I love all kinds of music,” she says, “and I think that basically what you put in is what you put out. I’ve listened to everything, so I write everything. I think it walks a thin line of being able to reach any genre of listener. If they are a Rock listener, I think they’ll like it, if they are into Blues, I think they will like it, and if they are into Country, I think they will like it. Somehow, in the production of it, it was balanced correctly.”
While it might be a task to put Leigh in a box musically---the music on 1978 December does reflect her Georgia background. “I’m a Southern girl,” she says with a smile. “I was born in Florida, but raised in Georgia, so I’m very proud of my Southern roots.”
Leigh takes pride in the music that is coming out of the state, and particularly, Atlanta. “I really do, and there is so much new stuff coming out of Georgia. Everywhere I’m looking, I see so much great music developing. I think that especially coming out of the Atlanta area, there is such a plethora of wonderful musicians, music, and writers. It’s a hot spot, and I think people are starting to realize that it’s more than just hip hop.”
The singer is excited to be working with the man behind Southern Ground Artists, Inc.-----Zac Brown. “I’ve known Zac for a very long time----long before ‘Chicken Fried’ hit, and I watched his career start to grow. Even then, he was always sharing the stage with the musicians around him. He’s just that kind of guy. He’s never stopped that. He’s got a great heart, and just wants to help people move forward, and inspire people to do the best they can with their dreams. Whatever he can do, he’s there. As long as they are meeting them halfway, he’ll do what he can to help you grow.”
She is also very satisfied with the artistic freedom granted to her in the studio. “I definitely am,” she says. “There’s some things that I’ve learned from recording. I think he has a special touch. He definitely put his magic on this album. It’s there. I trust that in him. Just by working with him and knowing him for so long, I didn’t have a problem in putting the reins in his hands. It really worked out. I’m excited about the record.”
In addition to Brown, another musical influence on Leigh was the late Sean Costello. Though the rising Blues music talent died in April 2008, Leigh says she still feels his presence to this day. “Sean was a huge inspiration. I wish he was here to see how far things have developed. He would probably be right beside me. His death was a hard hit, but his music is amazing, and I still spread the Gospel of Sean Costello, because I think he was one of the greatest Blues players of all time. It’s a shame he’s not here.”
It’s been a wild ride already for Leigh. She left home at seventeen, missing out on some of her youth due to her love of music. As she prepared for the release of 1978 December, are there any changes she would make if she had the chance? She thinks for a couple seconds, and says “The only thing I would change is that I had to quit school in my eleventh grade year. I loved school. I didn’t quit because I didn’t like it. Being a musician is hard. Sometimes, it’s a deal of one or the other. I’ll probably return one day and do online classes. I encourage everyone to stick with their education. I think it’s very important in life. That’s my only regret---quitting school, but I was in a situation where I had to.”
Look for Leigh on the road, pushing her single “My Name Is Money,” which is available as a free download on her website, www.SoniaLeigh.com. She also is gearing up for the release of the album in late summer. So, it’s shaping up to be a year to remember for the songstress, and that’s quite fine with her. It’s what she’s always wanted.
“I’m nothing without all the people who have been there for me,” Leigh notes. “I’ve got keys to just about everybody’s apartment in Atlanta because I’ve slept on everybody’s couch. But I’ve kept at it, because I really do truly feel that this was the calling on my life. I always knew this was what I wanted to do.”
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