EOE on Time Warner Cable Attends Los Angeles Women in Music (LAWIM) Presentation of Young Talent Night

Dawna Lee Heising of Eye on Entertainment Interviews LAWIM President Leanne Summers and Young Talent Night Host Leslie Stoddard

Dawna Lee Heising and John C. Alsedek of Eye on Entertainment on Time Warner Cable attended “Young Talent Night” at Kulak’s Woodshed on Saturday, December 5, 2009, and interviewed LAWIM President Leanne Summers and Young Talent Night Host Leslie Stoddard.  Los Angeles Women in Music (LAWIM) presents “Young Talent Night” as a regular monthly series showcasing performers aged 7-17 as part of the organization’s commitment to nurture younger artists and reach out to the community through music. Tickets sold by the participants, donations made during the webcast, sponsorships, and contributions received through the website fund the LAWIM “Musical Gifts & Scholarship Program” for kids in need. As part of the “gifting” program, a beautiful acoustic guitar provided by YTN’s lead sponsor, Daisy Rock Guitars (http://www.daisyrock.com/) was presented to A Place Called Home (http://www.apch.org/). The talented young performers included Lindsey Jordan, Chloe June, Aaron Landon, Quinn Martin and Annie Reznik.

LAWIM President & CEO Leanne Summers, the owner of Leanne Summers Entertainment, has been a LAWIM member since 1992, having served as President, CFO and Chair of the Advisory Board since her initial appointment to the Board of Directors in 1994.  An accomplished performing artist and much sought after vocal coach/producer, Leanne teaches and sings all styles of music.  As a professional singer, her experience ranges from casual work and nationwide tours, to appearances at prominent clubs with Big Bands, various lounge acts, her own Top 40 band, and as a solo artist, musical director, and backup singer/opening act for major artists, including Crystal Gale, Richie Havens, Jonathan Cain, Stella Parton and Eddie Rabbit.  Her voice and vocal productions can be heard on The Drew Carey Show, West Wing, Nikki, Cold Case and Californication to name a few. 

As a much sought after vocal coach/vocal producer, her clients include an extensive list of independent and major label recording artists, feature film and television actors, soundtrack artists, dancers, Broadway performers, prominent music supervisors and high-powered production and management companies. She has prepared artists for major tours and appearances at House of Blues, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ASCAP Pop Awards, Star Search, America’s Most Talented Kids, American Idol and many more shows.

A summa cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, Leanne established the first college Alumni Chapter in Los Angeles in 1994 and served as its Chapter President for 11 years. Many of the structures and programs she implemented served as a model for the now over 14 chapters nationwide, and earned her a seat on the Board of Trustees where she served from 1999-2005 as the first alumni representative. As a clinician, Leanne has participated in Grammy in the Schools (NARAS), The Songwriters' Expo (LASS and NAS), Vocal Tracks (Berklee in L.A.) Speech Level Singing Institute, and has spoken at many schools, music organizations and vocal clinics around the country. She has also authored articles on vocal technique, recording studio topics, performance and singing careers for several music magazines including (Home & Studio) Recording.   Leanne’s website is:  http://www.leannesummers.com/

Leslie Stoddard was exposed to music at an early age.   Her mother, a child prodigy from the Philippines, was already an established performer while Leslie was growing up in Southern California.  Leslie picked up the guitar while she was attending high school.  She took private guitar lessons but mostly taught herself by listening to records and playing along with them.  During her first year in college, Leslie worked in a radio station and formed her own all-girl group called Cause for Concern. She was the main songwriter along with singer Suzanne Graham.  The band recorded their first album in 1991 and appeared live on KROQ.  Their songs received airplay on the Rodney on the Roq show, KEZY and KLOS radio stations.  They had a decade of local success opening for such notables as The Doobie Brothers, Flock of Seagulls, Missing Persons, Gene Loves Jezebel and Starship.  Leslie had six of her songs, which were penned with the group, used in an independent film still touring the film festivals worldwide.

After the breakup of Cause for Concern in 2001, Leslie attended the Berklee College of Music Summer in L.A. program and in 2003, she formed the group Gia’s Fix.  The band catapulted immediately into the spotlight, appearing regularly at top-notch venues like The House of Blues, The Roxy, The Galaxy, The Viper Room and NASCAR.  Music Connection Magazine voted them as one of the top 100 unsigned bands. Their debut record, Raw was nominated by The LA Music Awards in 2004 for best indie-pop album.  They appeared in Rolling Stone, and the February 2004 issue of Guitar Player Magazine featured Leslie and stated “ Leslie Stoddard’s tasty guitar rave-ups strike a wonderful balance between melodic expression and tortured drama.”  Three more songs from the Gia’s Fix record were picked up for film and commercial use.

Leslie has spent most of 2007 touring with BandShe, an all-female group from Los Angeles.  She spent January in Kosovo entertaining the military, and traveled to Kuwait and Iraq in early May to perform for thousand of troops in Southern and Northern Iraq. The tour ended at Saddam Hussein’s Palace in Baghdad. “I am so proud to be part of those tours and that experience has enriched my life.”    For additional information please contact 714-526-1402 or visit: www.myspace/guitarmuse.

About Los Angeles Women in Music (LAWIM)

Established in 1986, Los Angeles Women in Music (LAWIM) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to fostering equal opportunity for women and men in the music industry and to promoting the advancement of women through empowerment, support, education, encouragement and recognition of their achievements. The goals and activities of Los Angeles Women in Music are founded on the belief that women and men working together in mutual respect, sharing abilities and expertise, will strengthen the music business and the music that is at its heart. At the same time, we recognize the unique and valuable contributions of women and advocate a musical world where these contributions are acknowledged and talents are nurtured. For more information, visit:  http://www.lawim.com/.

About Eye on Entertainment
“Eye on Entertainment”, a division of Eye on Excellence™ Productions, is aired twice weekly on Time Warner Cable in Southern California. The EOE team covers entertainment events, film festivals, red carpets and award shows, and features interviews with successful people in all walks of life, exploring the traits they have in common. Dawna Lee Heising is the executive producer and host of EOE.  She is a long-standing member of SAG & AFTRA and is Ms. Universe 2009.  The show is produced and directed by John C. Alsedek, who is also the writer, director & producer of the horror anthology series “AS DARKNESS FALLS”, which runs on Time Warner Cable. The EOE photographer is David McNeil, who is a former executive with United Artists and was one of the developers of Pay-per-View.  For more information, please visit http://www.eyeonentertainment.tv/.